


Out of the Shadows

by AchillesLament (11Mydesign11), Destinyawakened, Identically_Different



Category: Hannibal Extended Universe - Fandom, James Bond (Craig movies), The Path (TV)
Genre: AU, Alpha!Le Chiffre, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Angst, Bonding, Destiny, Forced Bonding, Hannigram - Freeform, M/M, Murder, Omega!Cal Roberts, Omegaverse, Religion, Soulmates, Suggested Non-con, Younger Cal, meyerism, rarepair, summertimeslick, tagged hannigram for rarepair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2018-12-03 09:08:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 28,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11529093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/11Mydesign11/pseuds/AchillesLament, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destinyawakened/pseuds/Destinyawakened, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Identically_Different/pseuds/Identically_Different
Summary: At newly eighteen years old, Cal Roberts is unwillingly bonded to the only parental figure he's known she he was five. Kept, leashed, and collared. Accepting his fate, Cal does as he is told until he convinced a dangerous man to come to compound to hear about the Light.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Something a little different from us. Very AU, very angsty, but we promise only good things.  
> Like this? Join us on [Tumblr](http://identically-different.tumblr.com) for more updates and lists of our fics together!  
> As always, sharing this fic if you did like it for some exposure would be great! A reblog from our tumblr helps, as do tweets! Anything at all. Or just a comment let us know! Thanks for reading!

Standing on street corners and handing out pamphlets for the Movement wasn’t something Cal liked to do, not with Steve anyway. He held him on a tight leash, instead of letting the young male Omega reach out and do what he did best, and reel people in. At eighteen, Cal was of age, but Steve kept him to himself, bonded and locked away from everyone else unless he was around. People at the Compound hardly ever saw Cal, and he spent most of his time reading and learning, anything he could convince Steve to give to him.

“Calvin, over here,” Steve said, guiding the young man back to their table. “Don’t wander off now, you know I don’t appreciate that.”

“Sorry,” Cal said, absently scratching at bonding bite on his neck, still healing from his birthday just a week ago when Steve made it official after many, many years. He picked up another stack of fliers and started to hand them out as people walked by.

Sometimes Cal went out with Sarah and her parents to do this work, but it wasn’t often, and was the only family Cal was allowed to see. His own parents weren’t even allowed. He handed a pamphlet to a man with black gloves, not even looking up to meet his gaze, already able to tell he was an Alpha just by scent, and knew Steve’s stake on Cal even looking at another Alpha.

The Alpha took the flier all the same, and flared his nostrils, scenting the boy. "And what is this?" he asked, his tone raspy, cold as he thumbed over the paper and removed his dark sunglasses.

Le Chiffre had just came from a meeting with some associates, and was dressed in his trademark black suit, dark hair combed back and to the side. It came as a surprise when the young Omega thrust a pamphlet in his direction. It wasn't many who even approached him, given his Alpha status, his nature and sometimes even just by his mean appearance.

“A flier, sir,” Cal said, head canted toward the ground. “We’re a Movement about enlightenment and finding inner peace-”

“Calvin,” Steve said, putting his hand on the Omega’s shoulder. “I’m the founder, Steve Meyer.”

Le Chiffre's lips curled into a snarl at the interruption, his mismatched eyes narrowing at the other Alpha. He, of course, knew the rules and boundaries of mated pairs, but he was never one for rules. "He was explaining things quite well, Mister Meyer," he said, gesturing towards Cal, pulling out his inhaler to take a puff before putting it away. "What's this about peace...Calvin, was it?"

Steve squeezed Cal’s arm to continue on, but never wavered away from his spot nearly perched on his shoulder. Cal swallowed, looking at the other Alpha’s gloved hands.

“We… we help people. Let them unburden, so they can learn to be free and love themselves and others openly. We teach about The Light and the Truth,” Cal explained.

Le Chiffre grinned at that, sharp teeth exposed as he looked over at Steve. Smirking, he leaned down enough to capture Cal's gaze, even for a second, letting the Omega see his face in all its glory. "You know, it might be more convincing if you look someone in the eyes when you say that, that way, you can read them. It's what we do in poker. Ever played poker, Calvin? Might even teach you to figure out someone's tell. Like your Alpha's over there, I can see his from here."

Steve gave the other man a look, a sneer forming on his face, but Cal was lifting his eyes to meet the other Alpha’s, sea blue searching his angled features, curious about his weird eye and the scar over it.

“No, never played. I’m…” He looked behind him at Steve who was glaring down into him, and he knew just from this interaction alone, he wasn’t going to get very good sleep tonight.

“We don’t condone vices like poker, or smoking,” Steve said, “But we would love to have you come to a sermon. If you’re interested.”

Now admittedly, this was nothing that Le Chiffre would be interested in attending, he was a busy, and sometimes sadistic, businessman. Mostly he had others who did the violence for him but he indulged occasionally himself. When he saw those beautiful blue eyes though, and the way Steve was sneering and glaring at Cal, he knew he had to go. "I'll consider it, and Steve, if I do go, it was because of Calvin's excellent recruiting skills, not you," he said, glaring at the other Alpha. He righted his stance and then held his hand out to the boy. "They call me Le Chiffre, and it's been a pleasure."

Was that even a name? Cal wondered, but shook the man’s hand anyway, may as well make it worth it. “You won’t regret coming.”

“You won’t. It’s a lovely service,” Steve said, trying to remain calm, but Cal could feel his resentment rising up.

"I have no doubts," Le Chiffre said, gently shaking Cal's hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of the Omega's smooth skin discreetly. It was more meant in a soothing way, than anything else, though he was clearly drawn to the mated boy, even if his scent was tainted by the foul Alpha who'd claimed him.

The dark haired Alpha let go, and placed his hands in his pockets, looking back at Steve, saying nothing further, only challenging him quietly with a smirk.

“The address is on the flier,” Steve explained as they glared each other down, and Cal touched his hand where Le Chiffre had rubbed, flushing slightly.

"Noted," Le Chiffre said, and turned his gaze back to Cal, watching him rub his hand and noticing the alluring blush spreading over his skin. He wondered why a beautiful young thing like the Omega was with someone as repulsive as Steve. "I'll be seeing you, _both_ of you."

“Goodbye, Mr. Le Chiffre,” Cal said, daring to meet the Alpha’s eyes once more, Steve too busy glaring the other man down to notice.

Le Chiffre ran his tongue over his pointed teeth and grinned, tipping his head in a nod once as his pupils expanded slightly at the eye contact. He ignored Steve completely. "Goodbye, Cal."

Once Le Chiffre was gone, Cal was pushed into the van and locked in for the rest of the excursion. They arrived back at the compound later, where Cal helped unload the van and put everything back inside their house.

“Do not think you will be allowed to go to the service on Saturday to see him again, Cal,” Steve said, knowingly. “He will come, see you are not there, and never return. Do you understand? Do you see why you aren’t allowed to make eye contact?”

Cal solemnly nodded his head. “Yes. I’m sorry.”

“As you should be. Go clean up and get dinner started.”

***

Saturday rolled around and Le Chiffre cleared his schedule in anticipation for the sermon-- or rather in anticipation of seeing Cal again. He wondered if Cal would even be allowed to attend, but if not, he had a plan; a carefully formulated, almost mathematical solution for such a scenario. It was his specialty after all, being very good with numbers, problem solving and overall a highly intelligent Alpha; poker and chess being his specialty, of course.

The Alpha chose to drive himself, in lieu of having his driver take him and after making it through the gate, he pulled up and parked in front of the big red barn looking building. He certainly stood out, which fed his ego, as he exited his jaguar in yet another black suit, black patent leather loafers and a firm 'poker face' in place. "I'm here for the sermon," he said, tone flat but deep, to one of the ushers, who then lead him inside. He took in the room, and opted to stand in the back, waiting and scenting the air for the beautiful young Omega who read like he was unhappy with his current situation. Another problem to be solved.

People filled the seats, Omegas and Alphas, even a few Betas. None of them were Cal. Steve stood on stage talking with everyone, seemingly a different sort of man than the one Le Chiffre met the other day. This man was passionate and kind to everyone he talked with.

Le Chiffre listened for a few minutes, smirking to himself. When he didn't see or scent Cal, he slipped out of the building, leaving his car where it was for the moment as he tried to catch wind of the Omega's aroma, maybe find him without his Alpha around since Steve was busy spreading his propaganda. As he neared a row of bungalows, a sweet, but slightly bitter scent wafted through the air, through an open window of one of the houses.

The Alpha walked right up to the front door, taking another breath of his inhaler and then knocked, three times.

 

Bright blue eyes peeked out of the window to the side, and the curtains moved, as Cal moved to the door. He opened it just a little to look at the man from the other day. He swallowed hard. “I'm going to get in trouble if he finds you here…”

Le Chiffre smiled, breath almost hitching at the sight of the boy as his finger rubbed near his lighter colored eye. "So let's take a walk. I mean you no harm, I would just like to get to know you better," he said, smoothly, and then leaned in closer, almost whispering, "Your Alpha is too busy playing god right now, I'm sure he won't notice."

“Hold on,” Cal whispered, and shut the door again, and then opened it once more, having pulled on shoes. He shut the door behind him, looking at the other man, never having been in the presence of another Alpha _alone_ before. Cal had been kept by Steve for a long time, and that was apparent with the boys awkwardness.

"I'll let you lead the way," Le Chiffre offered, not knowing where to go though he could figure something out if need be. He looked over at Cal and had to resist the urge to hold out his hand, not wanting to startle the skittish Omega. "Someplace where we can talk without interruption, preferably. I'm sure you know of a place like that."

“Yeah,” Cal said, and instinctively took the Alpha's hand, leading toward the lake, where there was a Grove of trees and picnic tables. “I would show you the forest but I'm not allowed to leave the compound.”

The Alpha rubbed his thumb over Cal's hand as it was held, much like he'd done when they first met and walked with a confident swagger into the grove. He looked over at the boy and smiled, all jagged teeth exposed. "Some rules are meant to be broken, Cal, but this will do."

“I… physically can’t,” Cal said, quietly, undoing the collar of his tight shirt to reveal an actual collar around his neck. “I’ll get shocked if I leave…”

Le Chiffre was hit with more of Cal's scent when his collar was undone, but once he saw the shock collar there, he bristled inside. Collars could be removed, bonds could be broken, more things to be solved. "Hm. So it appears. Well, as I said, this will have to do," he patted the picnic table he was leaning against, eyes not leaving the Omega. "Are you happy with him? With this life? I would have to say it doesn't seem like you're happy."

“I’d be happier if I could inspire the way he does, and talk to people the way I want to,” Cal said, and sat down on the top of the table, sandals on his feet, it was the most casual thing he had on that wasn’t laced up tight and well hidden. “Steve’s taken care of me since I was five. My dad brought me here and left me. My mom never could get sober enough to come get me.”

"Taken care of you by hiding you away and putting a shock collar around that beautiful neck," Le Chiffre added, looking over at Cal with his hands in his pockets. "There's a big world out there that you're missing, a lot of people you could inspire and I know you would. You inspired me to come here today."

“I did?” Cal asked, brows raised high, lighting up his young features. “I wasn't sure I'd see you again.”

"You did, and I'm certain today won't be the last time either," Le Chiffre grinned, getting off the bench and walking around front of Cal to get a better look at him face to face. He was stunning, and despite the bite to his scent, the Alpha was entirely intrigued, beguiled even. A bit of blood began to seep from his blue eye and he took out a handkerchief, dabbing at it. "Nothing sinister, I assure you."

“What happened to you?” Cal asked, finding he was more soothed by Le Chiffre’s scent than his own Alpha’s, despite the bond.

"Not everyone takes losing a hand at poker well," Le Chiffre chuckled, tucking away his handkerchief. He stepped one pace closer, but no further as his nostrils flared and voice dropped an octave. "A knife wound made the scar. The weeping blood, I was born with and comes merely from a derangement of the tear duct."

“Coincidence then,” Cal said, watching the other man’s every move, fascinated.

"Yes, just like when you happened to give me that flier," the Alpha nodded, and pulled out his inhaler again, the pollen from the trees forcing him to do so. He put it away after a breath, and pursed his lips, finding a need to be honest with the young man whereas if it were someone else he might not have been. "I don't know much about this...movement, but I need to be clear with you. I don't believe in god, if that's what this is and I only came here today for one reason. _You_."

“The Light isn’t God, but it’s like God if it helps to understand,” Cal said, and ducked his head at the would be complement. “Me?”

"All the same to me," Le Chiffre said, and then touched under Cal's chin to bring his head back up, looking him right in the eyes. "Yes. You, Cal. Just you."

“Why?” Cal’s eyes brightened with the flush against his skin, the pupils going wide and dark as he gazed at Le Chiffre. Cal was told often he was special by Steve, and if he was a good little Omega, someday he would inherit the Light, that he’d be a great leader, a Light bringer. All Cal had to do was what Steve said, even if it wasn’t what Cal wanted. Being the reason someone else was here made Cal tremble, wondering if Steve was right at all.

"You have conviction in your words, even if you were initially reluctant to meet my gaze," Le Chiffre explained, his voice gravelly and eyes narrowed but opaque from the attraction. "I don't need to point out your beauty, surely you know it, but I will say you've taken good care of your body. Impressive."

“I’m left to tend the gardens, or locked up alone, I get bored,” Cal said, wanting to show Le Chiffre every inch of himself he’d worked hard on, every inch that Steve took for granted.

"If you were mine, I would never lock you up, I would show you off, have you on my arm proudly," Le Chiffre said, eyeing what he could see of Cal's neck, up to his lips and eyes. "What do you wish you could go do? I have a way of fixing problems, and making things happen."

“I don’t know. I’ve… never been out on my own, I don’t know anything out there,” Cal explained, hands folded between his thighs, biting his bottom lip at the thought of being someone else’s, someone that had as much power as Steve, if not more, but didn’t use it again him.

"Who said you would have to be on your own?" Le Chiffre grinned, wanting nothing more than to take Cal away from the compound, get rid of Steve and claim him for his own. He wasn't a romantic Alpha, never had been interested in bonding but something in the Omega made him feel a pull, like they were meant to be together. It was sudden, and jolting but he felt the chips were stacked in their favor with good odds. “There is a lot I could show you.”

“Like what? I’ve always wondered why a movie theatre looked like, or… you know, something like that,” Cal murmured, brows raised toward Le Chiffre, not sure he should trust this man, but at the same time, what did he have to lose in his situation now?

"We could go to a movie, or out to dinner, anything," Le Chiffre said, occasionally enjoying movies, though not overly often. "We'll have to remove your collar, or disarm it. You may have to fake its effects to avoid suspicion. Can you keep a straight face around your Alpha?"

Cal nodded slowly, not sure if he could, but he knew Steve well enough that feigning submissive behavior always worked well to avoid suspicion. After all, he and Sarah had run off a few times to swim in the lake. “Yes.”

"Good. When is the next day Steve will leave you alone for an extended period of time?" Le Chiffre asked, his mind running through the various angles of the problem. "I will meet you here, disarm the collar, as I said, and take you out of the compound."

Cal knew that his bond with Steve would be an issue, and not being with him would cause issues, but he’d deal with that if it meant getting away. “He’s going to the midwest on Monday for two days. I’m not allowed to go. He’ll lock me in the house.”

"A lock will not keep me out, I can come to you instead," Le Chiffre offered, and pulled out a burner phone, handing it over. "Can you hide this? My number is programed inside. Call or text me if anything changes and if not, let me know when he's left and I'll be there."

Heart beating faster, Cal took the phone, heavy in his palm, and swallowed hard. Le Chiffre meant it, he wanted to get Cal out, even if this was all Cal had ever known. “You won’t care if I still pray to the Light?”

"You can pray for us both, if it makes you sleep better," Le Chiffre smiled, and ran his thumb along Cal's jaw, his skin starting to shine with a bit of sweat. He did want to help the boy, another new notion as usually the only person he wanted to help was himself and his bank account.

“I will,” Cal said, smiling a little as he stared up at the Alpha, licking his lips. There was a heat between him he didn’t even feel with Steve, not ever. He wondered if what Steve told him about soulmates and them was a lie, if his real soulmate was standing in front of him.

Le Chiffre had a few ideas about Steve, and none of them were good. He would do some digging while he waited on Cal's call. Staring at the Omega's lips, the Alpha licked his own, wanting to kiss him but didn't. Not yet. "I hate to leave you, but I don't want to cause you unnecessary problems and you'll likely need to get a bath when you get home before Steve returns."

Cal nodded his head and kept his hands to himself once more. “I will. I won’t want to end up having to go with him instead.” That would ruin everything for the young Omega.

"No, we don't want that," Le Chiffre said, quietly, leaning in just a fraction to scent the Omega once more. "You go ahead, I'll wait here awhile so we aren't seen walking together...and Cal? It was good to see you."

Cal slipped off the table, careful not to touch the other man any more than he had, less to clean up. He stuffed the phone into his tight jeans pocket. “I’ll text you. Thank you.” He took off toward the bungalows, everyone was still in service, thankfully.

After he'd nodded at Cal, Le Chiffre took another hit from his inhaler and basked in the Omega's lingering scent. Once a suitable amount of time had passed, he walked back to his car and left the compound.


	2. Chapter 2

Cal did such a great job at covering up and washing, that Steve didn’t notice at all. Cal hid the phone away, under the dresser where Steve would never find it. On Monday, after fucking the boy near raw since he’d be gone a few days, Steve left. Finally, Cal texted Le Chiffre to tell him Steve was gone, waiting of course until the flight had taken off and was in the air. From that point on, he waited, patient but eager.

***

Le Chiffre had learned a bit about the movement, their gatherings and about Steve himself in the days after seeing Cal. He grinned when he saw the text and had shot one back to let him know he'd be there when the community gathered for their group dinner.

As promised, the Alpha made it through the gate, with a pretext of becoming a recruit, though he gave a fake alias, for the logs and parked back in front of the red barn. Once Le Chiffre reached the bungalow, he picked the lock and gave a warning knock to let Cal know he was there. He entered, without preamble, wearing a temporary scent blocker so Steve wouldn't be able to scent him when he got back in a few days. "Cal?"

“Mister Le Chiffre?” Cal asked, not sure if the Alpha would really come or not, but happy to see him when he realized it was him. Cal ran over like he was going to hug Le Chiffre but then stopped himself, hands clasped together behind him.

"Yes, I had to block my scent, albeit, for just a moment, it will wear off soon," Le Chiffre explained, and smiled brightly at the boy. He caught himself when he almost pulled him against his body and scented him. "I have a tool with me that will disarm your collar if you wouldn't mind coming closer?"

Cal nodded, stepping forward and then turning around, the mechanism on the back of the collar. “This isn’t going to hurt, is it? I’m used to the shock, so it’s okay if it does.”

"No," Le Chiffre said, simply, though not unkindly. He placed his hand under the collar, fingers brushing over the nape of Cal's neck. It was like he received a shock of his own when he felt the boy's skin. The Alpha cleared his throat to suppress a growl and swallowed, using the tool to quickly kill the connection that would deliver the shock. He let his hand linger as he spoke quietly, "There, it's done."

“Easy,” Cal said, and reached to take the collar off, holding it like it had been his imprisonment for far too long. He set it down in a drawer in the desk and went back to stand in front of Le Chiffre, gazing up at him with eyes that seemed almost too big for their own good.

Le Chiffre remained silent at first, looking into Cal's eyes, letting his own rove down to his more exposed neck and back up again. The attraction was almost too much, more than he ever thought possible given that the Omega was mated. Licking his lips, the Alpha leaned in, and cupped the boy's sharp jaw, close enough for his breath to brush Cal's lips. He stopped himself, reluctantly, not wanting the scent of arousal to be hanging in the air from either one of them. "We should get going before the blocker fades."

Nodding, Cal stepped away, as if able to tell they had to be careful until they left. “Do I need bring anything?” He didn’t have much as it was, but he hated to presume.

The Alpha wasn't sure if Cal would agree to spend the night with him, not wanting to presume either so he decided to pick a neutral response. "If there is something you want to have with you, bring it, but know that I can provide you with whatever you might need."

It was better not to move anything, to take anything that scents could linger on. “I’ll be okay for now,” he said and went to the door.

Le Chiffre followed Cal out the door, looking around to see if anyone was near. Thankfully no one was outside. "I'm parked near the red building," he explained, again holding back from taking his hand. "You'll need to be in the backseat, under the scent blocking blankets until we are out of here."

“Okay,” Cal said, as they walked over and once at the car, he waited for the Alpha to open it and then crawled into the backseat, under the blankets. He made no fuss about it.

Le Chiffre got in and headed to the gate, where no one even bothered to look twice. A couple of blocks down the road and out of view, he pulled over and put the Jag in neutral. The Alpha opened the back door and uncovered Cal. "You can come sit with me now, all clear."

The boy glanced up at Le Chiffre with big blue eyes and then crawled out, and into the passenger seat. It was big, much bigger than the seats in the little blue cars they had at the compound. “This is a nice car.”

The Alpha smiled proudly at that, and looked over at Cal, strapping him in. It also gave him another chance to scent the Omega, as well as waft his own which was back in full force. "Thank you. It looks better with you inside of it."

Cal leaned into scent Le Chiffre, seeing as it seemed to be okay to do that. He was strong and pungent, spicy. “Where are we going first?”

"Are you hungry?" Le Chiffre asked, taking in a deep breath to steady himself. He offered Cal a smile, as he put the car into drive and then added, "I want to do things that make you happy, consider this your day."

“I don’t know if they will until I try them,” Cal offered back, smiling a little. “I’m a vegan. That’s probably important for you to know.”

Chuckling, the Alpha nodded, pulling out onto the road. "I can eat anything, no complaints from me. There is a nice restaurant upstate, Avant Garden. Vegan."

“You just know a place off the top of your head?” Cal asked, brows raised, surprised.

"I did a bit of research on the Meyerist Movement," Le Chiffre explained, looking over at Cal for a moment. "Saw you were a Vegan community, so I found a restaurant where you might like to eat. I hope that's okay."

“That’s fine. Am… I dressed okay?” Cal asked, having never been out to a nice place to eat, well anywhere to eat for that matter. “Is it fancy?” He held his own hands in his lap, nervously.

"You look perfect, Cal. I suppose it is considered fancy, but you will be the most beautiful sight there," the Alpha offered and reached his hand out to take Cal's. He turned it over, bringing it up to his full lips to scent his wrist, lips brushing over the pulse point.

Cal’s breath hitched at the touch of lips to his skin, it felt nothing like Steve, nothing forced. His heart rate spiked, blood rushing to all the regions below his waist. “Thank you…”

Le Chiffre placed the softest kiss there and sat his hand back down, where he'd found it. He wasn't interested in rushing or pushing since it seemed like the Omega had gone through enough of that. Still, his own heart raced, blood pressure rising in a more than wanted way, making his eye leak a drop of blood, which he quickly wiped. "You're welcome, Cal..."

Cal’s scent permeated the car, sweet with a tinge of bitterness from being mated, but it was clear he thought the adoration of Le Chiffre to be suitable. The ride was mostly quiet, Cal watching the windows, the streets, everything like they were new, even if he’d been into the city before.

The Alpha spent the ride trying to control his instincts, focusing more on the bitter bite of Cal's scent. A bit later and he pulled up in front of the valet, and got out to open the Omega's door, offering his hand. “Shall we?”

Cal set his slightly smaller hand in Le Chiffre’s, slipping out of the car and hip checking it closed again. He knew he’d garner looks from people, but maybe they would think the Alpha was his true one.

Le Chiffre smiled, and tossed the valet his keys, leading them inside. He felt like the cock of the walk with Cal next to him, even if he was mated to Steve. Once in, he requested private seating and they were lead to the table in the back, dimly lit with a rose on the table. Obviously, the Alpha had made previous arrangements in anticipation. "I hope you like this table and the food."

“It’s beautiful,” Cal said, not used to dining with others, as Steve said it would show weakness in a leader, so Cal usually ate alone. He sat down, hands in his lap. The menu was small, but all vegetables of some sort, at least, of the plant variety.

The Alpha was, like most of his gender, a carnivore, but he didn't mind the sacrifice for a night. So many firsts and all for Cal. "Glad you like it," Le Chiffre said, quietly, winking once. "I am going to have the Pappardelle and you?"

“Eggplant,” Cal answered, with a smile, honestly glad Le Chiffre didn’t mind eating a little different for him.

"Very good," Le Chiffre commented, smiling back and setting his menu down. He pulled out his inhaler again and took a puff. "After we eat, we could take in a show, go on a carriage ride, or go back to my penthouse, if you'd like?"

“Are there… good movies playing?” Cal asked, curiously. He knew nothing about movies outside of Steve saying they were bad to see, would rot his mind.

"I checked into that too," Le Chiffre answered, looking at Cal with interest. He didn't really mind either way what movie they saw, he just wanted to show the Omega what he'd been missing and do so at his side. "Logan is playing, super hero type of movie, Beauty and the Beast, and Gifted. The last two I’m not familiar with but there are others."

“I… don’t know what any of that means,” Cal said with a hum, drinking the fancy ice water placed down in front of him. “Do you have movies at your place?”

Le Chiffre smiled and nodded as the water was placed in front of him as well. "I do, I have a lot of movies there if you'd like to watch something. Actually, I have a home theater."

“That might be better, then you can tell me about the movie and explain it,” Cal suggested, putting the napkin in his lap as he had seen others do around them.

"I'd be very glad to," Le Chiffre said, licking his lips subconsciously. The waiter came over and he ordered his food and a glass of sauvignon blanc for himself. He almost did so for both of them but decided against it. He wanted the Omega to know he wasn't that kind of Alpha or at least he wouldn't be with him.

Cal ordered the dish he had spoken about and water, not old enough, he knew, to drink alcohol. The waiter left and he smiled over at Le Chiffre. “Then it’s settled, we’ll go to your place.”

"Good," Le Chiffre smiled back, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "And I have wine there, you can try if you'd like since you can't have any here. Not a requirement though."

“I’ve never had it,” Cal answered. “I’d like to try it, though. Maybe you could teach me to play poker…”

"I'll teach you anything you want to learn, let you try new things," Le Chiffre said, smiling brighter at that. "I'll show you how to keep a perfect poker face, make someone think you're bluffing when you're not. That's what the game is about, that and odds."

“How can I get good with the odds?” Cal queried, chin tilted up slightly, relaxing around the Alpha like he’d been meant to this whole time.

"Once you learn the percentages, you'll know what chance you have at winning. If you see you're likely to lose, that's when your poker face becomes your tool," the Alpha answered, leaning forward a bit across the table, speaking deep and low. He felt very relaxed also, found it easy to open up and be honest with Cal. "I'm very good with numbers. You could say that my religion, is a reasonable rate of return, and beating odds, as well as cashing in on them."

“You’re a God in your own right,” Cal said, with some awe at the Alpha, finding him more fascinating by the second. He reached out one hand across the table, wanting to touch him again, to see if he felt the tingle of shock through himself once again.

Of course, that fed right into Le Chiffre's enormous ego, but it was more than flattery, it meant something to him. He gazed at Cal with intensity and took his hand, feeling the spark right away. "We all have the power to be our own God," he rumbled, a barely audible purr vibrating in his throat, unintentionally. "We make our own luck, mostly."

“I like… the sound of that.” Cal was being open minded despite everything he knew about the light. He’d just recently started going up the ladder, seen things in visions, been allowed to smoke marijuana, but being with Le Chiffre seemed like something he’d never get to do again if he didn’t do it now. A man in charge of himself. Cal squeezed at the spark.

Le Chiffre wanted to pull Cal over to him and nuzzle him, protect the Omega with his life. It was something he'd never felt so intensely before now. He didn't though, and instead rubbed circles over his skin, his own heating up. "You...have quite the effect on me, Cal. I mean that in a good way."

Not sure how this worked with him mated, Cal went with the flow of things, just moving on instinct. “As do you. I’m pleased.”

The Alpha had slept with other mated Omega's before, but this was entirely different and he wasn't certain either. Either way, as long as Cal was happy and okay with things, he wouldn't let a bond to another unworthy Alpha stop him. "Good," he said, not letting his hand go unless the Omega moved his. "I want you to feel comfortable."

“I… do you think it’s too bold to say I feel a bond to you already that I never felt with Steve?” Cal whispered, not wanting anyone to hear.

Le Chiffre leaned closer so that Cal would feel comfortable with his volume and shook his head to the side. "No, not too bold," he whispered back, gently squeezing the Omega’s hand, "I feel it with you too. I never believed in the fairy tales that spoke about true mates or soulmates, and the like, but I'm starting to, now."

“I feel it,” Cal said, looking into Le Chiffre’s mismatched eyes. Before he could say anything else, the waiter came with their dishes and set them down, forcing their hands apart.

Nodding thanks to the waiter, Le Chiffre picked up his wine and took a slow sip. It was actually good, and he licked a stray drop from his lips as the words Cal had just spoken resounded in his head. "The odds are in our favor then," he finally said in response, with a little smile and then sat down the glass. "I hope you like the eggplant dish."

Nodding, Cal took a bite, and then another, humming his approval. “It’s really good, actually.”

The Alpha took a bite of his and found it acceptable, actually decent for a dish without meat. He swallowed and wiped his mouth. "Good, this is pretty good also...would you like to try a bite of mine?"

“Sure,” Cal said, setting his own fork down for a moment in anticipation.

Le Chiffre wound some of the pasta up on his fork and leaned forward, nearing it to Cal's tempting mouth for him to take a bite. "Open up," he smiled, staring at the boy’s lips, intently.

Cal licked his lips and then opened his mouth, taking in the bite, and wrapping his lips around the fork slowly, and then pulled off, and chewed. “Mm…”

The Alpha felt heat shoot straight into his groin at the sight, pulling back the fork to then promptly place it into his mouth. He sucked the taste of the boy right from it and hummed. It could have been interpreted as him cleaning off the residual sauce, but that wasn't why. When he spoke, his tone was thicker, laced with want, "Yes, very delicious."

Eyes dark with lust, Cal swallowed the bite. “Very,” he said, able to scent the Alpha across from him through the wafting smells around them from their food.

Sweating a little, the Alpha swallowed with a quiet grunt. He suddenly didn't care about the food but reminded himself to show some sort of restraint. Still, he kept his eyes on Cal's, over the glass of wine as he swallowed a few drinks. "A lot of enticing things here tonight."

Cal took a few more bites of his meal and then a sip of water to cool the flush in his cheeks. “What else do you see?”

"Strength, beauty, intelligence...you could make people believe whatever you wanted, lead them in any way you choose," Le Chiffre answered, having taken a few bites, himself. "I also see someone I want to know much better, in every way possible. And you? Same question goes."

“Someone of intrigue and passion, for his work and life. Grounded. Handsome.” Cal ducked his head a little, not use to carrying on like this with anyone, let alone another Alpha.

Not one to blush often, if ever, Le Chiffre found himself doing just that at the compliment. He grinned, crookedly, and ran his tongue over his teeth. "A good leader can read people, you seem to do just fine at that, thank you."

“I’ve been reading some books on it, I don’t get to use it very often,” Cal explained, and took another bite, not wanting such a good meal to go to waste.

Le Chiffre nodded, with a smile and then took a few more bites of the meal, washing it down with his wine. "Tell me something else about you, that I don't know. I'm interested."

“I don’t know that there is much to know,” Cal said, shyly, and set his fork down for his water. “I enjoy learning about art, reading Plato…”

"I read occasionally as well, mostly the stock market," Le Chiffre chuckled, and took the last bite of his food. "I knew I was right about your intelligence. That's not something most beautiful young men like yourself tend to read."

“What else have I got to do? It’s that or Ascend the ladder, which I’m doing as well, under Steve’ guidance,” Cal said, finished with his meal, he drank the last bit of his water.

"You make the best of your situation," Le Chiffre agreed, and then gestured for the waiter to bring the check. He handed him cash and told him to keep the change. Once that was taken care of, he offered his hand, "Ready to go?"

“Yes.” Cal nodded and stood once more, hand out for Le Chiffre’s, as natural with him as he was forced with Steve.

Lacing their fingers together, Le Chiffre lead them out of the restaurant and to their car, which the staff had brought around for them when he'd paid. He opened the door and got Cal inside, getting in once he'd done so, taking off towards his penthouse. It felt right with the Omega, and as time passed, he knew he would have to tend to Steve Meyer. "A good meal with great company."

“It was, thank you, sir,” Cal said with a little smile over at the Alpha.

"Please, call me Le Chiffre, for now at least," the Alpha offered and kissed the back of Cal's knuckles as he turned onto the road his building was located. "And you're welcome. Thank you for coming with me. I know it's a risk."

Getting back to the compound and into the bungalow would be a risk, this was the easy part, for now. “Le Chiffre,” he said, and smiled biting his bottom lip. “It is.”

Le Chiffre smiled back and then nodded, knowingly. He had a few ideas about when it came time to take Cal back but for now, he just enjoyed this.

After a few more minutes the Alpha pulled into the parking garage and got out, taking Cal's hand to go into the building, to the elevator. "Once we are inside, please make yourself comfortable, Cal."

That was easier said than done, as Cal stared at everything that was more complicated than anything he'd ever been around. He kept his hand in Le Chiffre's, eyes big. “This is where you live?”

"It is," Le Chiffre said, watching Cal's reaction. When the elevator doors opened, he pressed his thumb over the identifier and slid a card, opening the door. The Alpha stood aside, "After you."

Cal entered, but slipping past the other man and into the well polished and high tech penthouse. “Amazing…”

"Thank you," Le Chiffre smiled, and locked the door behind them. He had his men elsewhere for the night, so they would be alone. He mused to himself that Cal was the only amazing thing in the room at present but instead, placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and asked, "Would you like to try some wine first?"

“Yes,” Cal said, immediately, his eyes trailing from Le Chiffre’s hand up to his eyes. “Please.”

Le Chiffre nodded once, mismatched eyes blown black as he took a breath and removed his hand. He went over and poured them each a glass of sparkling red, thinking the bubbles might add appeal and brought it back. He handed it over to the Omega but paused before sipping his own. "It is sweet, but not overly. You will want to let it bathe each taste bud on your tongue before you swallow."

Cal took a tentative sip, the bubbles popping against his nose, which he wrinkled, and let the flavor coat his tongue. It was sweet, but bitter, all at once. “It’s… not bad.”

Le Chiffre did the same and grinned afterward. "If this one isn't to your liking, we can try others, eventually," he said, and then gestured to the black leather couch, "Please, have a seat if you want, or I can give you a tour. As I said, I want you to know you're safe with me."

“Tour in a minute?” Cal said, wanting to sit and enjoy the beverage with Le Chiffre first and they had time, after all. He took a seat, leaving room for the Alpha.

"Good idea," the Alpha said, and then sat down next to Cal. He propped on arm on the back of the couch, behind the Omega and crossed his leg, looking over at him as he sipped his wine. "I will have to show you the view from the balcony later, you can see the stars beautifully at this height."

“Then you’ve never seen it from the Compound, where there’s hardly a light in place,” Cal said with a grin but was sure he’d love to see them from here too. “I’ll look forward to it.”

Le Chiffre, loved to show off, had an ego, but genuinely wanted to impress the Omega at his side. What he noticed, however, was that Cal had a certain fire to him, that he'd not seen in others of his gender before. The Alpha liked it. "No, I have not, but I've seen them from my yacht, out in the Pacific, very beautiful there too. We can do both one day if you'd like," he winked and rolled his wine glass between forefinger and thumb. "You are different than anyone I've ever met, Cal."

The Omega hummed at that, excited to try all sort of new things he’d never thought he’d be able to do before. He took a long sip of the wine and sighed, smiling up at Le Chiffre. “You’ve met a lot of people then?”

"Yes," Le Chiffre answered, and smiled back. He took another sip of his wine and then leaned forward to set it down on the marble coffee table, atop a coaster. "I am a banker, and I do business all over the world."

“You play poker and you’re a banker… the two go hand-in-hand. You’re a businessman,” Cal said, well aware of how someone like that worked.

"They do," the Alpha said, more and more impressed by Cal as the minutes passed. He subtly scented the Omega as he looked at him, unable to stop himself. "Does your Alpha let you in on the business workings of the compound?"

“No. I’m not stupid though,” Cal said, bolder now than he had been, but without his shock collar and his Alpha there to chide and punish, he could speak freely. He drank the last bit of his wine, his lips growing loose from it.

"As I've noted," Le Chiffre said, grinning crookedly. He eyed the empty wine glass and trailed his eyes from there, to Cal's lips and finally his eyes. "Would you like more?"

“Maybe in a little bit,” Cal said, letting the bubbles go straight to his head as he leaned back against Le Chiffre’s arm.

The Alpha liked his lips, looking at the long column of Cal's neck. It was probably best that the Omega didn't get drunk, as he wouldn't want to take advantage of him in that way. "Alright," he said, his tone low and throaty, relishing the feel of the boy's hair against his skin. "You look relaxed, which pleases me."

“Hard to relax at home,” Cal commented, but made every effort to be a little less timid here, though he knew he needed time to really loosen up.

Le Chiffre pondered how to proceed, and then took Cal's hand, rubbing his thumb over the scent gland in the Omega's wrist. "A movie. Did you still want to watch one? Or I can begin teaching you poker..."

“Let’s try a movie,” Cal suggested, hoping it might help to calm his nerves a little more, even though the Alpha made him feel warm and tingling inside, his mind wasn’t sure how to move forward.

"Very good," Le Chiffre said and gently slid his arm out from behind Cal. He stood, and removed his suit jacket, and folded it over the chair. Offering his hand, he beckoned the boy. "The home theater room is down the hall, come with me..."

Cal took Le Chiffre’s hand and trailed after him down to yet another room in the large penthouse, nothing like the tiny bungalows he’d lived in most of his life, and before that, tents and crappy apartments. “This place is huge.”

"It's the best in the building," Le Chiffre said, with a nod and smile. Inside the room, he turned on the lights to reveal a large big screen on the wall, red velvet curtains that hid soundproofing, and a few rows of plush leather reclining couches. "This is better than a movie theater, at least I think so."

“Intimate,” Cal noted, though he wasn’t sure how real movie theatres were, he did know that you shared them with a lot of people. Here, it would be just them.

"Yes," Le Chiffre answered, with a little grin and then handed Cal a list of all the movies he had ready to go and their descriptions. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll go get the wine. Select where you'd like to sit, and which movie, and I'll be right back."

Cal seated himself in the front, in the middle, and read over the list, not sure, honestly. He’d heard of some of these because they were books, but even books were limited at the compound. He decided perhaps Lord of the Rings might be okay, it’s the one book he’d been allowed to read once.

Le Chiffre returned, setting the wine on the table next to them and went to ready the projector, dimming the lights. He'd also brought over a bowl of freshly cut fruit, thinking the Vegan Omega might prefer snacking on that instead of candy. "Now, then which movie did you decide on?" he asked, quietly, standing in front of the boy. "I also brought fruit if you want something to snack on."

“Thanks,” Cal said and pointed to the movie. “Is this any good? I’ve read the books.”

Le Chiffre bent over, nearing Cal's space, to look at the title. "Yes, that one is very good," he smiled and looked into sea-blues that seemed to sparkle even in the low lighting. "I'll get it started."

Cal leaned up and kissed Le Chiffre’s high cheek bone, daringly, and then sat back down, hands in his lap. “Thank you.”

"You're very welcome," the Alpha murmured, Cal's lips on his skin feeling like a pleasurable fire, lighting him up. He forced himself to right his stance and then went over to start the movie and turn the lights all the way down. As it started, he walked over and sat beside the Omega, wrapping his arm around his shoulders gently.

Leaning in, Cal rested up against Le Chiffre, his shoulder under the Alpha’s, head against his chest. He let one hand rest on Le Chiffre’s thigh, knowing the things his own Alpha loved, but this time he returned the want to do them.

The impulse to take the Omega was strong, which was made apparent by his thudding heart beat. He was able to maintain control, however, and instead nuzzled into the boy's soft tresses with a quiet purr. Realistically, Le Chiffre wasn't interested in the movie, though he did like it, he was more reeling from Cal's scent, his hand on his thigh but he would let things flow naturally.

The movie started off slow and was visually enticing, which didn't help Cal's attentions on the other man. Twenty minutes in, Cal leaned his head up and kissed Le Chiffre's jaw softly.

Le Chiffre grew half hard at that, unable to stop biology, and moved his free hand to cup Cal's jaw, thumb gliding over the ripe red lip there. He angled his body and neared his face, gazing at the young Omega intensely. "I want to kiss you, Cal, badly. May I do that? You can always say no."

“I'd like it if you did,” Cal whispered, lips parted as Le Chiffre thumbed them, greedy to taste the Alpha.

Le Chiffre closed the distance, wordlessly, inhaling sharply through his nostrils as he pressed their lips together and groaned. He slid his other arm around Cal’s waist to draw him close, as his tongue slipped past the Omega's lips to taste him better.

Though his gender was often submissive, Cal’s body was hard and made of firm, hard earned muscle from hard earned work. Crawling into the Alpha’s lap, he straddled Le Chiffre, kissing him back with utter abandon.

It was all Le Chiffre needed to completely give in to his desires and he began feeding from the Omega's mouth fervently. He slid his hands down to Cal's muscular ass and pulled him down into his fully erect Alpha cock. "Mm, Cal-"

Cal writhed, rolling his ass down over Le Chiffre’s clothed cock, panting out softly between kissing and moans. This was nothing like he had with Steve, who took and took and never wondered if Cal was satisfied.

The Alpha kissed down Cal's neck, on the side opposite of his bond mark, and licked there, canting his hips upwards for more friction as he growled. Le Chiffre knew the Omega had to be his, somehow, and providing it was something the boy would want with time. Of course, there was the small matter of Steve. Nonetheless, the Albanian lost himself in the feeling and in Cal. "You taste so good, so sweet."

A bond that was not wanted by both ends was never a real and full bond, all they had to do was somehow get rid of Steve, and Cal knew it. The more time he spent with this Alpha the more he calculated what it would take to get rid of him. Cal panted; “Do you want me?”

Lifting his head to meet Cal's gaze, Le Chiffre cupped the boy's face and nodded. "Yes, more than I've ever wanted anything," he answered, huskily, and kissed him again, nipping at his lower lip. "And you, Cal? Do you want me?"

“I’ve never wanted anyone in my life, but I want you,” Cal whispered with conviction, tongue slipping into Le Chiffre’s mouth slowly.

Le Chiffre groaned at that, his scent more pungent as sweat started to seep from his pores. He laved his tongue against Cal's and then suckled it, the movie long forgotten. "We will be together, I promise you that."

“Yeah?” Cal moaned, breathing out slowly as he undid Le Chiffre’s shirt slowly, wanting to touch skin of more than just his hand.

The Alpha let him, licking his own lower lip and narrowing his eyes seductively as his shirt was undone. "Yes, and soon, if that's what you want..."

Cal knew they just met, but he also knew his attraction to this other Alpha couldn’t be a lie and had to be better than what Steve did to him. And for what? To be some chosen son of a religion that he was hardly understood yet? It was pushed on him at such a young age… “Yes, yes I want that.”

Le Chiffre grinned, shrugging off his undone shirt, and then pulled Cal's over his head, needing to feel his skin. As the Alpha looked at him, he had never been more certain about anything than he was his need to claim and be claimed. "Good," he murmured, and let his large hands trail down the Omega's back, tracing the boy's lips with the tip of his tongue. "Very good."

Cal was covered in bite marks, bruises, and what looked to be lashings, welted and healing over. Finger bruise prints were on his hips, but he didn’t let the sight of them being seen deter him. He kissed Le Chiffre once more, eagerly this time, as though trying to distract. “Mm.”

The Alpha cataloged each mark he felt under his fingertips, mentally, but made no mention of it. He still thought the Omega was incredibly beautiful and had an incredible body. In one fluid movement, he moved Cal over and onto his back, on the couch, resting his body between the boy’s legs as he ground down. "You're perfect, beautiful..." Le Chiffre whispered and nibbled under his jaw, making sure not to make any additional marks that could be seen later. "If you need me to stop, all you have to do is say so."

“You won’t be mad?” Cal asked, gazing up at the other man as his vivid blue eyes seemed to shine brightly against beautifully flushed skin. He was well toned, and it was a wonder he wasn’t able to overthrow his Alpha.

"No, not even a little bit," Le Chiffre answered, honestly, bracing his weight on strong bulging arms as he looked down at Cal and smiled, warmly. "We go at your pace, in all things."

“Okay,” Cal said, running his hands over Le Chiffre’s arms, to his shoulders, and down his chest. He felt honored that the Alpha wanted him, that he was chosen over any one else the man could have.

The Alpha leaned down, rolling his hips, and nuzzled Cal, slowly kissing his throat. Le Chiffre had never wanted to give this type of affection or go this slow with anyone else before, much less let them call the shots-- but he did with this boy. "Look at what you do to me, beautiful one. Can you read it in my face? Feel it in my touch, my kiss?"

“How can I be sure when you say you have a perfect poker face?” Cal asked, coyly, running his hand through Le Chiffre’s short hair. Even still, he could feel every inch of the man above him hard for him, heated through his core. He dipped his free hand below the belt and rubbing his palm against his length.

"Smart, very smart and anyone else would be right in saying that," Le Chiffre grinned and then groaned when Cal palmed his cock. He braced himself, on one hand, his skin glistening as he undid his belt and pants completely to give the boy more room. "But I think you hold enough evidence in the palm of your hand, to show you I'm not bluffing."

“For now,” Cal grinned, taking in the girth of the Alpha, and gripped him tightly in his palm. “You’re big.”

"Too big?" Le Chiffre asked, breathily with a snarling grunt. Cal was driving him mad with desire, his cock leaking from the tip. He started to thrust into the Omega's palm, thinking of what it would be like to drive his cock inside and let the boy feel him fully. "Mm...Cal. Fuck-"

“No, just bigger than what I’m used to,” Cal said, and leaned up, eyes on the Alpha, and licked the precome from his slit with a swipe of his tongue. The taste alone made him wriggle down against the sofa.

"Cal..." Le Chiffre rasped, his mismatched eyes steeled on those beautiful blues as he drew in a shuddering breath of pleasure. He was bordering on frenzy, his heart thudding in his chest, balls aching. The Alpha carded through Cal's chocolate strands, showing his appreciation and deep need for everything about him. "You could do that again, and know that I would not mind."

Big doe eyes stared up innocently at Le Chiffre as Cal sat back and guided the Alpha’s hips toward his face, taking him down slowly, to the hilt. He laved his tongue over the length, moaning.

The Albanian gripped the arm of the plush sofa, looking between his arms to watch and made himself remain still. Le Chiffre knew the innocence in Cal's eyes had been a playful ruse, sexually speaking-- he was mated after all --but it was confirmed with just how expertly his cock was being worked. "Fuck, Cal..."

The Omega batted his long, thick lashes at the Alpha, lewdly dragging his tongue over the tip before taking him down once again, and tugging his hips closer, very clear he’d done this many, many times before.

The Alpha's black slacks fell down over his ass the rest of the way as strong muscles flexed under bronzed skin. Le Chiffre held Cal's gaze, growling with feral desire, scenting the increasingly alluring aroma of the Omega's arousal. "If you continue like this, I am going to come all in your pretty mouth."

Le Chiffre was a sight, a beautiful, handsome one at that, perfectly shaped, and large in all the right places. Everything Cal wanted, everything he knew he needed in a mate that Steve couldn’t and wouldn’t give him. He pulled off, willing to finish. “I’ll let you…”

The Alpha caressed Cal's cheek, thumbing over his swollen lips. Le Chiffre thought similarly that Cal was also a vision, he'd gotten lucky meeting him, or maybe it was fate-- if such a thing existed. He was starting to think it did. "Mm, impossible to resist but I want to make sure you are satisfied in return...in whatever way you'll allow me to."

Cal went back to licking and sucking, groaning around Le Chiffre’s cock, wantonly writhing below him. His own pleasure was never an issue, never something his Alpha cared to help, so Cal’s needs were left unhandled. “However you wish,” he breathed.

"And...what if I said, I want to please you by tasting you and then fuck you, make you come around my cock?" Le Chiffre rumbled, looking down at Cal. He wouldn't force it, of course, but he also saw how the boy was writhing and smelled the slick pooling between his cheeks. "Would you let me do that?"

“Yes-” Cal whispered, swallowing down the salty pre-come in his mouth, licking his lips.

Le Chiffre moved back and toed off his shoes, pants next. He then helped Cal out of his, until they were both naked on the couch. The Alpha's senses were flooded with the mingling of their scents and he noticed that either it was his imagination or the Omega's scent was sweeter, less bitter than it had been. "Look at you," he murmured, and got down between the boy's legs, pressing them back to his chest so he could taste him as he said he would-- as he’d thought about since they’d met. With one long run of his tongue, the Albanian started to feast, groaning deeply. "I could please you like this for hours."

The Omega’s eyes rolled back into his head with pleasure, holding his knees just there as his thighs spread open more thoroughly. His mouth dropped, not sure he could say anything. Warmth bloomed through him, trickling more and more wetness onto Le Chiffre’s tongue. “Oh-”

Wanting to give Cal something he'd likely never experienced, Le Chiffre pushed his tongue into the boy's slick, ready hole and fucked him, in and out, slowly at first. He wanted every little gasp and breathy word just for himself, now and always. "Mm..."

The young man had never had this done, not at this length, before. His pants became moans of pleasure, toes curling in the air as his hole squeezed against Le Chiffre’s tongue. “Le Chiffre-- Alpha!”

It was music to Le Chiffre's ears, and he started fucking him faster with his tongue, hand gripping Cal's smaller but still impressive cock. "Cal--Omega," he murmured against his twitching hole, and then before diving back in, added, "Come for me, beautiful, then I'll fuck you and make you come a second time."

The boy came apart; it didn't take much. He drizzled and then gushed over Le Chiffre's tongue, and spurted all over his toned stomach with a soft, whimpering howl.

Le Chiffre licked him through it, lapping hungrily. He was panting, as he stalked up the boy's body, licking the come from his stomach there too. "Perfect," he rasped, and kissed Cal's lips, blindly pushing his large cock slowly inside the Omega with a muffled groan. "Fuck, fuck, Cal-"

The Omega’s eyes went wide once more, and he gripped Le Chiffre’s arms, breathing out slowly as he tried to catch his breath all over again. “That’s good-”

"Very. You're so tight..." Le Chiffre murmured, and seated himself to the hilt, panting against Cal's neck. "I don't want to hurt you, tell me if I am."

“You’re not,” Cal insisted, enjoying every bit of it as he squeezed himself around the Alpha. “Don’t stop, please-”

The Alpha pulled out half way and back in, starting to fuck Cal in earnest when he was given the all clear. He slid his arms under and over the boy's shoulders, keeping him close as he kissed him deeply. "You feel too good for me to ever want to stop..."

Everything about this felt perfect. Cal writhed, moving under Le Chiffre’s body, panting out all over again, chanting his name. “Good. Make me feel you.”

Le Chiffre all but howled at that and began to pound the boy, so hard he had to hold him tightly to keep him from sliding up the couch. "Your wish is my command," he grunted, sweat covering him as their bodies slapped together lewdly. "You feel this?"

“Perfectly,” Cal moaned, reached above his head to hold himself still, to keep from sliding.

"Good, I think you were made for me, we were created for each other," Le Chiffre groaned, his balls smacking wetly against Cal's ass as he fucked him over and over. His knot throbbed, promising to seal them together soon.

Heat rose through Cal like a fast moving tornado, clear that the boy had never truly been loved. His mouth dropped, panting and gasping with every whip of passionate hips. “One soul torn apart…”

“And then brought back together…” Le Chiffre grunted, dark hair falling down as his body jerked and slammed in the Omega relentlessly. He staved off his orgasm, wanting Cal to come again before he released his own and knotted him. The Alpha buried his face in the boy’s neck, panting and angling his hips to tap eagerly against his prostate. “Cal-”

Legs and arms scrawled around the Alpha as Cal started to burst at every seam once more, groaning loudly as the intensity of his orgasm rocked through him. “Le Chiffre-!”

The Omega's come soaked him and when he felt the tight grip around his cock, Le Chiffre couldn't hold back any longer. He pumped twice more and then his movements slowed, knot latching over the rim to hook them together as what felt like buckets of Alpha seed spilled into Cal's passage. The urge to mark was almost too much but he didn't, and instead biting kisses into the boy's mouth as he roared with pleasure, "Fuck, Cal-!"

Cal groaned into the Alpha's mouth, kissing him hard, hips rolling to keep feeling him deep inside. “Just want to stay here with you.”

"You can, if that is your wish," Le Chiffre offered, through slow kisses and licks, cock spurting more come at the movements from the Omega’s hips. He hadn't claimed Cal but felt like he was already his, a bond forming and defying all the normal rules of biology. "I can make it so you don't have to go back ever again."

“How?” Cal asked, touching Le Chiffre face with his sweaty, calloused palms

"You know there is only one way to break a bond, yes?" Le Chiffre asked, gently, turning his face to kiss Cal's hands. He wanted to gauge how the boy responded to that before continuing.

“Yes. Death.” Cal had thought about himself, but of course, that was illegal and against all the rules of Meyerists.

"Nothing you would need to do," Le Chiffre offered, knowing Cal would understand the meaning. He brushed the Omega's hair from his brow, purring in his ear. "It's the only way we can truly be together."

“Is it deserving?” Cal asked, more than aware it had to be with the way Le Chiffre looked at him all the time like he was a wonder and Steve never did.

"Yes, I feel you are my true mate, Cal, no bluffing, no tricks...it isn’t often I speak from my heart," Le Chiffre murmured, gazing at the boy. He knew he was falling, it had been an instant attraction, one that was growing into a profound ethereal love. It was unlike anything he’d experienced, or even believed in, but Cal was giving him something to believe in and it was turning his world upside down. "And beyond that, I've seen that you're not happy with Steve. Or am I wrong?"

“Steve owns me. I am told to be happy or I can be replaced and locked up,” Cal said, quietly. “I don't know much else.”

"What do you want, Cal?" Le Chiffre asked, looking at the boy seriously, but not unkindly. "I know what I want, and I've said as much."

Cal didn't know Le Chiffre well, but he already knew it had to be better than Steve, even if it meant leaving the movement. “I want to be with you.”

"Then I will take care of Steve," Le Chiffre said, going back to that part of the conversation. He kissed Cal's lips gently, and smiled, holding him protectively. "Is there anything from your place at the compound you need?"

“I don't own anything. Clothes but…” Cal shrugged, he could find other things that would never remind him of Steve ever again.

Le Chiffre nodded. "Anything you need I'll provide." He rested his head down into Cal's neck, breathing his scent. "You will want for nothing."

“Are you sure? I don’t want to become a burden to you later,” Cal said, suddenly very skittish, very unsure of himself, after all the things Steve had said to him before, that no one would possibly ever want an orphaned Omega with two drunk parents who didn’t love him.

The Alpha slid his hand behind Cal's neck, to the nape, where he instinctively began to rub when he sensed the skittishness. "Never," Le Chiffre said, in a deep tone, "And I am more certain that I want you than I've been about anything."

“Not going to cramp your style?” Cal asked, coyly, shifting easily into the mood that Le Chiffre easily put him back into.

"You'll enhance it, everyone will be envious that I'll have you," Le Chiffre grinned, nuzzling their noses together. "I can see you now, walking over to kiss me, wish me luck before a poker tournament..."

“Be your lucky charm?” Cal grinned wider at that, the thought was cute and sweet; so much better than he’d had before.

"You're much more than that, but yes," Le Chiffre chuckled, and then nipped at the Omega's lips. "My lucky charm. In every way imaginable."

Cal nuzzled back, feeling complete peace with Le Chiffre. He no longer felt like a burden or just a possession. “Yours.”

Le Chiffre cuddled Cal, dozing off in and out until his knot finally deflated and they unhooked. He smiled at the boy, and stroked his hair, kissing just below his ear. "I'll need to make a few phone calls, set things in motion. Are you hungry? " he asked and then looked at the movie screen and laughed quietly, "We'll have to try the movie another time."

“It’s fine, I was mostly interested in you,” Cal admitted, pulling on just his pants. “I’ll just have the wine, I’m still full from our meal.” He motioned to the cut up fruit. “Plus we have a snack left.”

"Mostly?" Le Chiffre grinned, arching a playful brow as he moved and got redressed himself. "Speaking of snacks, I will have my shopper pick up anything you might need. Make a list, please, and I'll see that she gets it."

“She? You have a shopper?” Cal asked, used to growing his own foods.

"Yes. I am usually too busy to deal with shopping, but if you'd rather we go ourselves, I will take you," Le Chiffre replied, wanting to give Cal options, let him see that he was equal to him.

“Do you have a rooftop garden at all? I could grow our foods,” Cal offered, innocently, standing to wrap his arms around Le Chiffre’s waist.

"I have a private rooftop, yes," Le Chiffre nodded, looking into Cal's eyes, falling harder by the minute. He cupped the boy's jaw and licked his lips. "You may make it as beautiful of a garden as you wish."

Cal pushed closer, hooking his arms under the Alpha’s and over his shoulders, pressing them chest to chest. “I’ll need a few things for that.”

"Whatever you need, we'll purchase," Le Chiffre crooned, looking down at the Cal as he felt their hearts beating together. "Either tomorrow or once I've taken care of Steve. It makes no difference when only that you are happy."

“Whenever,” Cal said with a little shrug, smiling up at Le Chiffre with his chin to his chest. “I’d like to be useful here and to you, is all.”

"Very well, that is a respectable trait," Le Chiffre said, understanding Cal completely. He looked at the Omega's lips and leaned down to kiss them, unable not to. "I certainly would not want you to think you were only a show piece."

“No?” Cal grinned, teasing a little as he relaxed a bit more in the Alpha’s arms.

"No," the Alpha grinned, toothily, mismatched eyes warm, conveying feelings that weren't always easy to express. "Although, you will be the most beautiful sight in any room."

Cal beamed at that, kissing Le Chiffre reverently. “I’m going to clean up a little if that’s okay?”

"It is," Le Chiffre hummed, licking the taste from Cal that lingered there from his lips. "This is your home now, Cal, or will be soon, officially. You don't have to ask for such permissions, but it was appreciated. Everything you need is in the linen closet in the bathroom, across from this room. I'll be on the balcony."

Since Le Chiffre had some calls to make and business to do, Cal thought it best to acquaint himself with the bathroom and cleaning first. He kissed the Alpha once and then picked up his clothes and padded off toward the bathroom.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve was only gone two days, back early, and when he entered the bungalow, there was no sign nor scent of his mate. He looked around, checking every hiding space the boy was good at getting into, despite his size these days. Nothing. Cal could not have gotten far, not with the collar. He found the buzzer for the collar and started to push it, hoping the pop the boy out of hiding, but all he heard was a buzzing from the desk drawer to his right. Opening it up he saw the removed device sitting there.

“Calvin?” His voice grew heavier, more concerned, and the longer he searched for his boy, the angrier he became that the Omega had somehow gotten away from him. “Cal!” His voice echoed out over the hills and pastures of the compound, but Cal did not answer back.

Later that night, when the compound was quiet, Le Chiffre and two of his best men snuck inside and ended up on Steve's front door. The lock was picked and inside they went. Naturally, the Albanian had been alerted to Steve's return and getting in was no trouble at all. "Mister Meyer," the Alpha rumbled, hands in his pockets as he clicked on the light and walked into the movement founder's bedroom, "You might want to consider being awake for this. We need to have a conversation."

The leader was bereft with grief over the missing Omega, but he was sleeping soundly when the men walked in. He looked up, startled, blinking his eyes on the Le Chiffre. “Should have known. You took him, didn’t you?”

"Him, I did not take, he went willingly," Le Chiffre answered, smoothly with a grin. He narrowed his eyes then, face stone cold and practically devoid of emotion. The only thing present was power, and the hint of a snarling growl. "But he is mine or will be soon enough. He...doesn't want you, Mister Meyer and you've now become an obstacle."

“That is my Omega. I raised him. I cared for him. I mated him. I groomed him to take over for me,” Steve said, snarling right back, on his feet and stalking toward Le Chiffre. “Any court would see my way if I have to involve them.”

"You did not let me finish," Le Chiffre said, holding up a hand to stop his men who had guns pointed at Steve. "I said that I did not take him, but you? Well. That's a different matter entirely."

The Albanian Alpha then nodded, once to his men, who grabbed Steve and held him steady. Le Chiffre walked close, smiling, "Once you’re dead, Cal will be my Omega...Though some could say he is already. I knotted him, pleased him in ways you probably never did. You see, with me, he'll be taken care of, treated with respect and not locked away like an animal."

Steve’s eyes bore into the other Alpha as he struggled but then topped once a gun was placed to his head. “Cal is the chosen one. You don’t understand, he must be protected and kept away from everyone.”

"Cal is chosen, to be with me, we belong to each other and if he is meant for this movement, it will not matter where he resides," Le Chiffre growled with a sniff and punched Steve hard in the ribs. "The only one who needs protection at this moment is you, and I'm afraid you've been dealt a bad hand in that aspect."

Steve doubled, gasping for air. “Please-”

Le Chiffre laughed, feeding off of Steve's pain. "I imagine you ignored a lot of pleas from Cal, just as I'm going to ignore yours. You call yourself an Alpha, but look at you! Worthless. Weak!" Le Chiffre bellowed, angry at that thought of all the vile things this man had done to Cal, he'd seen the scars. "My men are going to escort you to the car, but we're not finished yet."

“I beg you, my people need me here. I was only conditioning Cal for his proper role!” Steve explained, but the men were holding him down, tying his limbs, and then carrying him out the door to the car. Not a soul in sight.

It didn't take long to get there and once the men had gotten Steve down into the underground room where matters like this were handled, Le Chiffre rejoined him. The gag was removed, and a table with a few essentials were waiting near Steve, who was nude and tied to a partly opened chair. "Steve, I told you we'd soon be speaking again."

“You can have the boy, just let me go, my people-” Steve gasped, more than capable now to be reasonable.

"How easily you give up your mate," Le Chiffre said, walking over to the table. "The beautiful young man who you've scarred, over and over."

The Alpha picked up a thin metal wire, connected to a wooden handle, and with a flick of his wrist, slashed Steve over the stomach with it. "Normally, I stick to simple tortures or a quick kill, but this time I'm going to make sure that each mark that you've given Cal, you'll die with it on you."

Steve groaned in pain, but he wouldn’t go down sobbing or begging. Not yet. He could do this, he could be strong, he had The Light with him.

"So you do have some balls," Le Chiffre chuckled and then pulled out a knotted rope, swinging it in the air. "Let's test them out."

With a whirling whip, the Alpha knocked Steve right in the balls, under the chair and through the open hole.

The leader’s thighs tried to close, to protect his most precious package, and all he could do was bend forward a little and heave a breath of pain. “You-”

"What was that? I didn't quite hear you..." The Alpha whispered, and as he delivered one more whack to the movement founder's balls, Le Chiffre shouted, "I what?!"

“Sonuvabitch,” Steve growled, his face heated, as he tried to move but only managed to wriggle in the seat.

"Should a prestigious leader like yourself be speaking such profanities?" Le Chiffre smirked, and then got the wire, and started whipping him, all over his chest without ceasing. Not until he'd put bloody gashes all over his torso and legs. Once he was done, he pulled out his inhaler and took a puff, covered in sweat. "Now, where were we, Steve?"

The leader was bloody, mangled mess. He was sweating into his own wounds, hard to tell if he was crying or not. “Just take the boy.”

"Have you not been listening? He's already mine, and of his own free will. I didn't take him, he left you," Le Chiffre sneered, and then put down the wire. He put on a glove next and grabbed a pair of rusted but still effective scissors. "I'm going to cut off your cock and watch you bleed out. My face will be the last thing you ever see."

“W-what?” Steve’s wet eyes met Le Chiffre’s. “You can’t… You should be saved by the Light, you just need to let me go.”

"Is that right? You want to save me or lead me to the Light so it can?" Le Chiffre asked, condescendingly. "You said Cal was the chosen one, didn't you? If anyone is going to lead me to this Light, it will be him. The percent chance that you will be alive in the next hour is zero."

With this, the Albanian took Steve's cock with his gloved hand and started cutting into it, right at the knot, slowly. The leader, --the doctor-- screamed and groaned as he was mutilated, unable to stop the blood flow, the noises he made, knowing he’d die like this, humiliated.

Le Chiffre did as he said, and watched him start to bleed out. To shut him up, he shoved the detached cock into Steve's mouth. A quiet eerie calm overtaking his features. Once that was done, he left his men to tend to the mess and took a quick shower back up in his office and changed.

Dawn was starting to break by the time he got back home, and Le Chiffre got into bed and kissed Cal's cheek softly, scenting his totally unobstructed sweet scent.

With Steve dead now, Cal’s scent was pure once more, the mating scar healing over. The boy’s eyes fluttered open and he gazed at Le Chiffre with big blue eyes. “There are you. I was worried.”

"I apologize for worrying you, beautiful one," Le Chiffre murmured, running his fingers along Cal's neck, over the healed scar. He had to force himself to keep control, the boy smelled delectable. "Everything has been handled."

There would be some unstable grieving, Cal knew, as the bond was broken and lost, a death that his body had to let go of, but it wouldn’t be easy. “I thought so.”

Le Chiffre hoped that once Cal was ready, that their bond would take away any residual pain he felt over Steve. Either way, he could wait for the Omega to come around. Steve was dead and that was that, so he knew this was just be one last thing to help the boy through. "I know it may not be easy, but there is no hurry, where we are concerned. I can sleep in the guest room if it would make you feel more comfortable. But you are safe now, Cal."

Cal crawled over to Le Chiffre and curled up against him, head on his chest. The pain was there, the loss, but his feelings and bond for Le Chiffre remained, unwavering. “Please don't go.”

Le Chiffre wrapped his arms around Cal and nuzzled into him. "I will stay then, my lucky charm." He kissed the Omega's lips once and rubbed the nape of his neck to try to comfort him.

It wasn’t that Cal wanted to be upset, but biology was what it was, after all. He smiled and nuzzled back. “It’s… really done?” he could feel it of course, but he wanted to hear it.

The Alpha understood and knew it was to be expected. They would have their time soon enough. Le Chiffre kept Cal close, covering him with his scent, thankful he could no longer smell Steve. "Yes. Steve is gone, I know it is not easy, but you are free."

“I know. Our bodies go through the motions…” Cal whispered, “but soon I’ll have your mark on me instead.”

"They do. Still, I cannot wait to see how beautiful you will look with my mark on your neck," Le Chiffre purred, kissing Cal's face softly. "But all things in time."

“Not too much time,” Cal promised, more to himself than anything else. He wanted to belong with someone he loved and loved him in return.

Le Chiffre did love him, very much, though he hadn’t said yet. He gazed at the young Omega, nothing hidden or concealed and offered him a warm smile. “I will wait as long as you require.”

“You are a patient man,” Cal whispered and dragged Le Chiffre over him for a long kiss.

"Only when it comes to you, love," Le Chiffre murmured, over Cal's lips and kissed him back, plunging his tongue gently into the boy's mouth. He paused again when coming up for air and then grinned, teasing, "And maybe poker."

“I’d like to sit in on a game with you soon, watch you play,” Cal said, quietly, touching the scar over Le Chiffre’s left eye.

"I have a game coming up two nights from now," Le Chiffre said, quietly, letting Cal touch him as he wanted. He never let anyone touch his scar but the Omega could do as he pleased. "When I win, I will take you to celebrate, if you’d like."

“What will we do?” Cal asked, leaning up to kiss the scar and then Le Chiffre's lips.

"I will take you on my yacht, or we could go to dinner, fly to Paris, anywhere or anything," Le Chiffre offered, wanting to spoil his soon to be Omega. He kissed Cal back, sucking the boy's juicy lower lip. "What would you like to do? I know there is a lot you've not experienced but surely you've thought of something you wish to see?"

“Paris sounds very nice,” Cal said, with wide blue eyes.

"Then we will go," Le Chiffre promised, looking down at Cal. He stroked the boy's cheek with the back of his knuckles. "I am falling in love with you, Cal. I thought you should know."

“Y-you are?” Cal’s eyes brightened, dampening a little. No one had ever really loved Cal, he knew that not even Sarah honestly.

"Yes," the Alpha smiled, and kissed both of Cal's cheeks. He was moved by the motion in the Omega's eyes, and his eyes welled up too, the left one tinged with crimson over the cloudiness there. "Very much and I have never loved anyone else."

“How is that possible?” Cal asked, curiously. He wanted to know everything about Le Chiffre, including why he loved him and not someone else.

"I have mounted others, but never loved," Le Chiffre explained, wiping his eyes on a tissue next to the bed. "My heart has been hardened since very young, and you somehow managed to soften it. I suspect it is because we are soul-mates, Cal and you are very rare, special."

Cal had heard all that before, and the soulmates thing worked out well, but he hoped that Le Chiffre could learn to love him for who he was, all he was capable of, just as Cal was learning to love the Alpha for his keen senses and ability to lie and bluff his way out of everything. Cal wanted to learn to do that.

He nuzzled against Le Chiffre’s face once more. “Rare and special?”

Le Chiffre wasn't an emotional man, as a rule, more logical in nature and since he hadn't loved before now, it was hard to explain it. Sometimes when you love someone, it is difficult to put into words and is more of a feeling, but he would try for Cal because he meant so much to him and knew he would never feel this way again. He would gladly teach the Omega anything he wanted to know, but also, he was being taught.

The Alpha nuzzled back and smiled. "Yes. But that is not exactly why I love you. It is...everything that you are, your heart, your spirit," he said, trying to formulate the feelings. "You are beautiful, yes, but when I am with you, nothing else matters, only us, it is as if I feel complete in a way I never imagined before. I want your good days, and your bad, your smiles, and your sorrows. All of it, Cal, but you must open up to me, show me all of yourself and I will do the same."

“What if I don’t know myself?” Cal asked, quietly, aware that he’d been lead and ushered by Steve since he was five, guided to be something he had no control over, only that he wanted it, he wanted the power, and to help people. That seemed good, but now?

Now he wasn’t sure at all.

"Then we will discover that together," Le Chiffre offered, and took off his shirt, then rolling onto his side to hold the boy. "I will show you all that I know, and you can decide which parts you like and do not. Whoever you turn out to be, it will not change my feelings. I want you to grow into your own, at my side. Never behind me."

“That’s not typical of most Alpha and Omega relationships,” Cal said, knowingly, though he was aware that his relationship with Steve wasn’t right either.

"No, it's not. Do you want ours to be that way? The typical Alpha and Omega relationship?" Le Chiffre asked, genuinely curious, and ready to take control if Cal needed him to, but somehow he didn't think he did. Either way, if the Omega wanted him to take control, it wouldn’t be like how it was with Steve, he could never do that to the boy. "I would never enslave you like he did."

“No. I just… I don’t know how to be in control of myself,” Cal explained, gazing at his soon to be mate.

"I can guide you," Le Chiffre offered, running his hand down the length of Cal's arm. "I will show you how to be in control. Teach you to hide what you do not want others to see and in that way, you will dominate them. A man that controls himself, can either lead or crush others, and without having to lift a finger."

“I want that,” Cal said with a nod of his head, bright blue eyes wide and sincere. “I want my destiny to be my own, with you.”

"It will be, whatever path you choose, it will not be alone, darling," Le Chiffre smiled, cupping the Omega's jaw and kissing him twice. The Alpha slipped off his pants, and pulled the covers up, yawning quietly. "Let's try to get some sleep, or more where you are concerned, a few hours at least. We have a big day ahead of us."

Cal nodded his head and curled up against the Alpha, his head against his chest, listening to his rhythmic heartbeat, letting his own breath hold true against it, taking on it’s in and out motions. “Good night, Le Chiffre.”

"Goodnight, Cal," Le Chiffre whispered and kissed the Omega's head. As he started to fall into a deep sleep, he added. "I love you."

Cal ate up the words as he clutched his arms around the Alpha, bathing in the sensation of the words he never knew he wanted to hear from anyone, whether it was romantic or parental… Cal had needed it.

***

The next afternoon, they had dinner and Le Chiffre lit a fire, turning on some light classical music. He was in a black silk robe, with matching pajamas underneath and walked over to the boy, wrapping his arms around him from behind. "Cal," he purred, nuzzling his neck and placing sweet kisses there. "What is on your mind?"

The Omega still did his rituals, his prayers, as he still believed in The Truth and the Light, but he had his own set ways, not Steve’s, about what he would believe. “Not much,” Cal said and turned to kiss Le Chiffre’s jaw.

"Shall we relax on the couch, or would you like me to begin your lessons in poker?" the Alpha offered, not wanting to overload the Omega if he was still to wrought with grief over Steve's passing.

The grief passed quickly, as Cal’s mind hardly lingered, but his soon to be Alpha’s scent helped a lot with that. “Teach me.”

Le Chiffre pressed his nose into Cal's neck, a purr vibrating against his skin briefly and then he righted his stance. "Come, I have a room setup just for that," he said, leading the Omega to the playing room. "While there is plenty of luck in poker, it is a game that requires incredibly great skill. Each player is a master of his or her own fate."

Cal raised his brows, watching Le Chiffre’s attire.“You won’t be playing like that later, will you?” he asked, coyly, gazing running over the Alpha’s strong physique.

Le Chiffre laughed, and shook his head, slowly walking Cal backward towards the big green table as his hands roved over the boy's body. "No. Although it might be a distraction to throw off the other players," he joked, and then kissed the Omega, all but bending him back over the table. "I will be in a formal attire."

“Good, I don’t want to be distracted either,” Cal whispered, his rump hitting the table first, and then bent back over it, pulling Le Chiffre with him as their lips meshed together seamlessly.

It was a first for the Alpha, kissing someone back onto the poker table, and he found it entirely erotic as he explored the hot cavern of Cal's mouth over and over. "Mm, my Omega," he growled out, his biology taking over for just a moment and then added, "I would hate to distract you."

Wrapping his calloused, working hands around the back of the Alpha’s neck, Cal kept him there as their eyes met and blazed into one another. He licked his lips slowly, heat coiling in his belly. Lesson first, sex after. “I want to learn.”

Le Chiffre pulled himself off of the boy and composed himself, rolling his neck on his shoulders. He offered his hand and pulled him upright, sliding the chair out for him to sit. "You're not able to be swayed from the game, even now," he said, having been testing the Omega's commitment. Cal passed with flying colors. The Alpha set up the game. Cards, chips, and then sat down across from him. He put on his poker face, switching modes in his brain after he'd added a compliment of, "Very impressive."

“We haven’t even started,” Cal said, looking at the cards, but not yet touching anything, not sure what to do. It seemed very intricate.

"No, but you have to prepare yourself mentally, long before it has begun," Le Chiffre explained and started to shuffle the cards, deftly. "An important thing to remember is to keep your face even, as mine is now. Any little tick or tell will give way to the type of hand that luck deals you."

“So the idea is to convince everyone else you have a better hand than you do, so they forfeit?” Cal asked.

"Yes, very good," Le Chiffre said, dealing the first hand to both of them. "When you play there is always a dealer and a banker but for this teaching session, it isn't needed."

“We aren’t playing for money,” Cal noted, and looked down at the cards, reluctant to touch them just yet.

"No, but usually money is involved," Le Chiffre said, and then started doing the signature chip trick between his fingers after looking at his cards and setting them down. A sign that Cal could do the same. "Before you play, you have to know what hand beats what, which I will explain once you are ready."

Cal picked up his cards, no idea what they meant. “Okay…” he looked over at Le Chiffre, no emotion on his face.

Le Chiffre then explained to Cal what pair beat what, and went over the premise of betting, remarking that the game was, in large, one of mathematics. "So you see, it is about percentages, odds, and trying to make leave your opponent none the wiser," he added, two fingers pressed near his lighter eye, stern, cold, expression on his face. Inwardly, he found himself wanting to smile. “You are doing well with your poker face, darling.”

Cal had always been able to hide his emotions, he had to with Steve, to be obedient. “Thanks,” the Omega said, concentrated on just his cards, not Le Chiffre’s scent, or the way his eyes bore into him, in a way that suggested Cal should look at him.

Le Chiffre was very impressed with Cal's blank expression and avoidance; it brought out the Alpha's even more and he was stone-faced now. "Call, fold, bet?" he asked, already having explained what that meant when he explained what beat what. He looked at the Omega, toying with the chips, gaze dark despite the opposing colors. It was hard, however, ignoring the sweet scent wafting from the boy. “You do need to look at the other players, occasionally, to read them...if you can. Most are easily read.”

“You’re not,” Cal said, sweetly, with a grin over at the Alpha. “I’ll bet.”

Le Chiffre grinned at Cal for that, unable not to. "You are very good, yourself." The Alpha nodded at the decision to bet, and then his eyes went flat again as he switched into playing mode, his mind going through the mathematical probabilities. "Raise. Though we need to decide what we are betting...since we’re not playing for money."

The poker prodigy threw down double the chips Cal had and looked at him in question, licking his full lips.

Innocent as Cal was, sheltered, he gave the Alpha a raised brow in question. “What do you bet if not money? I don’t have much.”

"On the contrary, you have a lot to offer," Le Chiffre grinned, teeth exposed. "You have five thousand dollars, to bet with as you wish. If you win, it's yours plus the five more I'll be playing with. I win, I keep the money and you let me take you on an outing of my choosing, whenever I choose."

It was hardly fair because Cal knew that Le Chiffre would win, but maybe that wasn’t so bad. The boy nodded his head, eyes bright on his cards, but no more emotion seen. “I’ll call.”

"All in," Le Chiffre said, and then thumbed over the back of his cards, eyes focused on Cal. "Let's see your hand, I have two pair, and you have a seventeen point four percent chance of making your straight."

Cal set his cards down, not looking at them as he did, breath held as he bit his lower lip.

"A straight, very good," Le Chiffre said and grinned at the boy. Whether it was beginner’s luck, or not, Cal had won, and the Alpha was proud. "You win the pot, and I lose. However, I have already won, when you agreed to be mine."

Cal rolled his eyes a little, taking his earnings, though he didn’t need them, and was almost looking forward to losing, so see what sort of outing the Alpha had planned. “I think you let me win.”

"Poker is not that sort of game. You play the cards you're dealt. A game of chance and the odds were in your favor," Le Chiffre explained, honestly. He would still get to take Cal on an outing, eventually. "You won because you had a straight flush, which beats a pair. The ten thousand dollars is yours to spend as you choose."

“I’ve… never had money,” Cal said, looking down at the cards and chips, hands in his lap. Money was a thing the movement got through donations, that people gave them, and it was used to help everyone else. Cal had never been without a thing he needed.

"And now you can no longer say that," Le Chiffre offered, gathering the cards back up and stacking the chips. "How do you plan on spending the money? I often invest mine in the stock market. You can triple it, or you take a chance at losing it entirely."

“I should save it and invest some, that’d be the smart thing to do,” Cal said, watching Le Chiffre’s fingers over the chips and cards, well aware that his Alpha to be was setting him up generously.

"Good decision," Le Chiffre said, looking up to try to catch Cal's gaze and then noticing where the boy's attention was focused. He decided then to be a bit showy with the cards. "I will help you pick out something to invest in tomorrow if you wish?"

“Probably wise, I haven’t a clue what stocks are or how to use them,” Cal said, with a little smile. He was graciously smart, intelligent, but beyond books, he knew nothing.

"Have you ever considered University?" Le Chiffre asked, knowing Cal was very astute, and also knew that most Alpha's didn't want their Omegas to be outside the home. This Alpha, was different, however, and wanted to give his mate-to-be, every opportunity he might want. "And yes, as for the investment, I will be glad to assist."

“College? No. I don’t have a real education. I mean, I do, but I was basically home schooled, I don’t have a diploma.” Cal’s head dropped at that, a bit ashamed that he’d been so protected that he had nothing to hold him up on his own.

"We can start there then if you'd like, a GED," Le Chiffre offered and got up, walking over to Cal's side. He leaned down and cupped the Omega's face, bringing his head up to meet his gaze. "There is nothing to feel embarrassed over, you are brilliant and have shown this much."

“Not brilliant enough for school,” Cal insisted, his blue eyes sad as he tried to dart his gaze elsewhere.

"That is nonsense, darling," the Alpha insisted back, but kindly. Le Chiffre gently kissed Cal's brow and let his face go, not wanting to force him into looking at him any longer. "You did not have schooling because of Steve, not because from a lack of talent."

“How would we go about that? What if I don’t know the right things?” Cal asked, blinking up at Le Chiffre, clearly worried what the world around him would think.

"There are tutors that prepare you for such things. But I could also teach you also and once you're ready, you would test," Le Chiffre explained, running his fingers through Cal's hair. "No one will think ill of you, you're safe with me."

“I don’t want to be seen as a stupid Omega, especially around you,” Cal said, quietly.

"Cal, listen to me, you are smart beyond your years," Le Chiffre said, stooping down to further show equality. Taking the Omega's hand, he sighed, mismatched eyes warm. "I could never, ever think you are stupid. Look at my face, what do you see there? I love you, with all of me. You are my everything."

Cal’s self-worth was minimal, but he was learning. “Okay…”

"Good," Le Chiffre said, though he could hear the uncertainty. He would just have to prove his affections and intentions. He kissed the boy's hand, on his pulse point, and rubbed his face over it, sweetly. "And I can still take you on that outing if you'd like."

“You didn’t win,” Cal pointed out. “I can garden instead if you have things to do.”

"If you want to garden, then by all means. I have the evening free, either way, darling," Le Chiffre smiled, still holding Cal’s hand. “I was hoping to spend some time with you, or you could show me your plans for the garden.”

“Are you interested in gardening?” Cal didn’t want to talk about his lack of education, he’d much rather just talk about what he knew.

"I've never tried, but I would like you to show me what you know," the Alpha said, honestly and then stood, ready to lead them out. “Teach me, as I have you. There is a lot we can learn from each other, my beautiful lucky charm."

Cal nodded, and took the Alpha’s hand once more, ready to lead him up the steps. “It’s not much yet.”

Le Chiffre smiled over at Cal, as they walked up the steps, fingers laced. “I am sure it'll be quite good. Especially since it's growing thanks to your own hands.”

“We’ll have fresh vegetables soon. I want to get an apple and a pear tree, at some point,” Cal explained. “Those take a little longer and require a bit more space.”

"Anything you want, you'll have," the Alpha promised, rubbing his thumb along Cal's palm as he opened the door to lead them out into the garden. He began surveying the progress and looked at his mate-to-be with a proud look in his eyes. "Wow. You've accomplished a lot already, and in a very short amount of time."

“It’s mostly seeds right now, but they’ll grow fast. We’ll have fruit, too,” Cal explained, tugging the Alpha along his hand made garden boxes, some with nets over them to keep out the bad bugs.

Le Chiffre nodded, loving how passionate Cal sounded about his garden. The banker never imagined he would be able to find such a topic interesting, but coming from the Omega he found himself enchanted. "I do love fruit, especially. Do you need any additional supplies?"

“A greenhouse might be nice, some not soil, more netting. I hope bees find their way up here,” Cal said, and smiled up at Le Chiffre, aware he wasn’t all that interested, just in Cal himself. “I could pay for it with my new money though, of course.”

It was interesting because it was to Cal, but it also had a solid purpose. There could even be money made from it, the Alpha mused about possibly buying a farm later, or move where there was more land if nothing else. Le Chiffre was always trying to think of new ways to make money, and if it was something that made the young Omega happy, even better. "I can arrange for the bees," he chuckled, walking along the rows. "A greenhouse, and netting, you will have and anything else. Not at your expense, however."

“Really?” Cal asked, elated as his face lit up and he hugged Le Chiffre tightly around the middle. He buried his face into his chest, scenting him. “Thank you.”

"Yes. You're welcome, and if you find there is not enough space up here, we can move, or invest in some land," Le Chiffre offered, with a deep purr as he rubbed Cal's back and scented him openly.

“How would we move the garden?” Cal asked, only so aware that he was building his own ‘garden’, and maybe he would need bigger space soon. He wondered if the Meyerists would follow him.

"Plants can be moved, darling, it happens often. Trees are replanted in new places, so I think it would be the same with a garden," Le Chiffre surmised, running his hands up to hold Cal's face. He leaned in and kissed his nose, pulling back to gaze at the Omega. "But for now, this could be a good way to start."

“I hope everything thrives,” Cal sighed, smiling up at the Alpha, he rubbed his hands down his chest.

"I have confidence in your abilities," the Alpha crooned, tracing the curve of Cal's ears. "And what is your most prized crop that you've planted so far?"

“Not sure yet, they haven’t grown,” Cal whispered, head lolled off to the side, he held Le Chiffre there, skin crawling with goose flesh.

Le Chiffre nodded, then leaning over, pressed his nose and lips over the Omega's exposed neck. He felt euphoric from just the poignant aroma there and extended the tip of his tongue to taste just a little. When he spoke next, it was a breathy whisper, bordering on a growl against Cal’s skin, and his words had double the meaning, "You'll have to let me know then...when you're sure."

Cal touched the Alpha’s chest and tugged him forward, having never felt such desire quell inside of him. “Le Chiffre,” he whispered, swallowing once.

"Mm. Cal...I was going to take you on the table in the playing room," Le Chiffre murmured, scraping his teeth over the boy's skin now, cock pressing into his body. "But I think the garden would work just as well....don't you?"

Stepping backward to one of the picnic tables, he tugged Le Chiffre with him, groaning at the thought. “Yes. Here. Take me. Claim me.”

Le Chiffre's heart started to beat faster at that request, and he licked his lips, quickly removing his clothing and then Cal's. As he undressed them, he never let their lips part for longer than necessary and once they were both nude, he laid Cal down completely over the soft linen that covered the table. "I am going to claim you, make you mine forever," the Alpha groaned, as he slipped inside the boy's slick entrance, biting kisses into his mouth. "Fuck-"

Cal panted out, holding his Alpha to him, kissing him harder and longer, wanting to be nothing else but his. He knew this would work, as Le Chiffre was not Steve. “What’s your real name?”

The Alpha started pumping, almost desperately, panting over Cal's lips. "Jean Duran," Le Chiffre answered, and was surprised at how easy it was to tell the Omega. He never told anyone his real name. "You're one of the only people on this earth that know that now."

Cal groaned, and kissed his mate. “Jean,” he whispered, biting the forbidden word into his mouth. “You are who I am bonding with, not your stage name.”

Le Chiffre had once had a man killed, who'd found out his name and addressed him as such but yet on Cal's lips, it was beautiful, sweet and sexy all at once. "Yes and only you can call me by my real name," he grunted and crashed their lips together as he pounded the young Omega roughly. "Oh, fuck, Cal-"

Cal panted Jean’s name, over and over, the heat building sufficiently in his core. “Please, please, bond me. Breed me.”

The Alpha came hard at the Omega's begging, his knot throbbing to full expansion as hot come shot out of the tip and drenched Cal's walls. Jean roared as he continued to spill, sinking his sharp teeth into the boy's mating gland, breaking the skin and forming the bond that would make them united forever. "Omega, mine-!"

It was better than when Steve had done it. Cal came in hot flashes of bright white lights, groaning hard into the air, as every limb in his body tensed and went loose. “Alpha-”

It was an instinctive thing that took over, initially, but as soon as the bond was formed, then Le Chiffre began sweetly lapping at the wound to seal it, purring deeply and affectionately. "My beautiful Cal," he whispered, and kissed up to his mate's lips, reverently. "You have made me the happiest man in the world."

“Are you sure?” Cal asked, sweetly, like honey dripping from his lips as he breathed out slowly.

"Yes," the Alpha answered, with a grin as he pressed their profiles together and gazed into what seemed like an endless ocean of striking sea-blue. "Never been more certain or happy than I am at present. And you?"

“Very sure. Never been happier, Jean,” Cal said quietly, gazing up at his mate, his Alpha.

"Good, darling, I'm very glad," Le Chiffre smiled, sweat covering his skin from the sun and the mating. He felt as if he couldn't stop kissing his Omega, his Cal, wanted to gaze and touch him at all times. Now that they were bonded the pull was even stronger. "Together, we can do anything, go anywhere we choose and have a beautiful life."

“Yeah?” Cal asked, wanting to believe that more than anything. “No one will come after us will they? For Steve?”

"No, at least I do not think so. The chances are low and precautions were taken," Le Chiffre explained, stroking Cal's hair. "If it does happen, I am a well-protected man, which means you are too. Nothing will keep us apart, and no one will ever harm you."

Cal smiled at that and then kissed Le Chiffre deeply. “I trust you.”

"Good and I, you," Jean said when they parted to breathe and then kissed him again, languidly, arms wrapping under his mate's body. "I love you, Cal."

“I love you, too, Jean.”


	4. Chapter 4

It was the day of the Poker tournament and Le Chiffre and Cal had a nice dinner before getting ready. Once they were finished and bathed, the Alpha stood in front of the mirror, tying his tie on the all black tux he wore. He looked up to smile at his mate. "I hope you do not mind, I took the liberty of having a tuxedo tailored for you. All white and in the closet."

Cal raised a brow and went to go see. He pulled the tuxedo from the closet. “It’s very white, what if I get… dirty?”

"Ordinarily, yes, that might be a concern," Le Chiffre agreed, turning around full to watch Cal. "But this is treated so that it's virtually stain proof. Liquids bead off of it, but it's still soft in texture. I hope you like it, it will suit you well. Only the best for my lucky charm."

Cal smiled at that and started to put the suit on, piece by piece. He held the tie for last, so that Le Chiffre would help him. “Could you?”

"I'd be glad to," the Alpha hummed, and strode over to Cal. He took the tie in his hands, and while it was loose around the Omega's neck, gently pulled him in for a kiss before letting go and starting. "I just couldn't resist those lips of yours."

Kissing his mate back, Cal held tight to the lapels, and then let go after a moment. “Shall we go?”

Once Le Chiffre finished, he nodded and grabbed his keys. "Yes, let's." He took Cal's hand and lead him out. "Our driver will be ushering us there. For appearances, more than out of need."

“Okay,” Cal said, glad to be prepared than surprised. He let the Alpha lead the way, trusting his every move as he internally readied himself for the game, playing or not, he wanted to help.

Le Chiffre lead them to the limo and got into the back with Cal, the driver closing the door after them. He instantly took his Omega's wrist and kissed it, scent marking him. "There is no need to be nervous, if you are," the Alpha assured, just in case. "I would like it if you would come over after the first round, and kiss me good luck. I would like it because I need you but it would always help distract the others. You are quite the sight, especially in that suit. Maybe you can keep an eye on things as well, if you see anything that looks sinister, let me know?"

“Yes,” Cal agreed, he’d do anything for Le Chiffre after all the Alpha had done for him, and because their love was boundless.

"Thank you," Le Chiffre smiled, and put his arm around Cal, keeping him close and taking in his scent. He sighed, happily, so in love and nuzzled his mate as they were driven to the Casino.

Once at the Casino, Cal kept close, hand in hand with his Alpha, as they were ushered up to the tables. Cal seated himself further back, watching from there as everyone sat down. His scent wasn’t masked, there to distract, if needed.

Le Chiffre took his seat at the long green table, the other players sitting as well. He looked at Cal, to see where he was located and offered him a stoic faced nod, needing to be ready for the game. After a round of drinks were ordered, the Alpha played with the chips in front of him and sneered, slightly. "Are we finished? Can we play poker now?"

Nods were given and the dealer started tossing cards to each person. The Alpha took his hand and glanced at it, keeping them hidden with no trace of emotion on his face other than pure concentration. The pot was high, a million dollars at stake this game.

The bets were made and soon enough the first round was over, Le Chiffre had won with three pair and he truly felt that having Cal with him made him that much luckier. As the dealer reshuffled the cards for the next round, the Alpha cast his gaze over to his mate, taking a puff of his inhaler.

.Cal stood, mainly from shadows, and sauntered over and placed himself in Le Chiffre’s lap, draped over him, and nuzzled into his neck once to scent him, and then kissed his lips. “You’re doing very well tonight, Alpha.”

Le Chiffre beamed, and nuzzled Cal back, feeling the envious eyes of the other Alphas at the table all but drooling hungrily at the sight of his beautiful Omega. It stirred jealously, but he knew it was for the greater good. "Thank you, my darling, you look beautiful," he said, and kissed his mate once more, scenting him back as he held him. "There will be an hour break after the next round."

“The man across from you is cheating,” Cal whispered into his mate’s ear, softly, playing it off as if he were whispering perfectly sweet nothings. “He also has a gun.”

Keeping his face unreadable to the others, he turned to nibble at Cal's ear, and whispered back. "Thank you, good work." Le Chiffre kissed to his all the way to his lips for that just as the round was about readying start. The Albanian knew he just had to get through this second round and then decide how to proceed with the pest his Omega had alerted him to. Further playing it off, he smiled at the boy, and spoke audibly, "Yes, I will come to you after this round, darling, during break."

“Good,” Cal smiled and slipped off his Alpha’s lap, fingers trailing over his broad shoulders as he left to take his seat once more.

Le Chiffre let his eyes follow Cal as he left, noting from his periphery how many others were watching too. The Omega had thrown them off, the sweet scent distracting them as he'd hoped.

The next hand was dealt and the man who was cheating was, as predicted, starting to win. Le Chiffre grew angry, and a bit impatient inwardly, but as usual managed not to show it apart from the look he normally wore during games.

After the round had completed, and they were given the hour playing break between the first and second halves, Le Chiffre stood and walked up to speak with his two best men. The cheating fool would be dealt with.

While that was being handled, the Albanian strode over to Cal and bent down to kiss his lips once. "Come, let's go to the suite I've rented for the break and talk."

 

Cal could not disobey his Alpha, not that he wanted to. He took his hand, and they strode the elevator. “What will happen to him?” he whispered.

Le Chiffre looked over at Cal once they were inside the elevator and smiled. "He will not be returning to this game or any other. Ever." The Alpha whispered the words into his mate's ear, gently pressing him against the wall and bracketed him in. He purred and kissed the boy's skin just under his ear. "You did well in telling me, thank you."

Cal shivered. It was one thing for Steve to be gone, forever, but someone else? That was on his hands, that blood. “You can't just forbid him to come again?”

The elevator doors opened and Le Chiffre kissed Cal’s cheek, leading him to the suite silently. Once inside he locked the door and finally answered. “I do not have to forbid him. He will be dead within the next few minutes, darling,” he explained, no remorse. “Would you like some wine or water?”

“No,” Cal said, a bit uneasy, though what had he really expected of his Alpha? The man killed his old mate just to have Cal.

Le Chiffre sensed the uneasiness from his Omega and he looked at Cal, head canted. The Alpha took his hand and lead him into the living room, sitting him down. "You disapprove, I take it? You would have rather he lived and possibly shot someone else? It needed to be done and it is not your fault, it's on me."

Cal swallowed, not sure if it was the right thing to do now to have told his Alpha, but he wanted Le Chiffre to be proud of him, to want him around. “There was no peaceful way?”

"No," Le Chiffre said, because in his mind there wasn't. He rose from the couch, stone faced but not angry at this point and poured himself some wine. He'd assumed the boy would be okay with the information, that he knew the kind of Alpha he was. "My world is different from the one you grew up in, Cal."

“That’s true,” Cal agreed, he would not deny that he might be in over his head a little. It was still better than the alternative.

"Once I win, we'll go home and relax, celebrate," Le Chiffre offered and sat back down by Cal, scenting him. "Until then, you may stay here, in the suite if you'd prefer. I'll have my best man guard the door."

“Would you prefer I stay here?” Cal asked, wondering if it were of a requirement so he stay quiet.

"You can do as you wish," Le Chiffre said, looking at Cal, reading his face. "Would it make you more comfortable to stay here?"

Cal was quite enjoying himself, however, he didn’t wish to witness more he’d have to tell his Alpha. “No.”

Le Chiffre looked at his watch and placed his hand on the nape of Cal's neck, rubbing idly. "Thirty minutes until the game resumes. The last two rounds should be free of any problems...now."

“I’ll do as you wish, Jean,” Cal said quietly, head dropping forward a little as his neck was presented, submissively.

The Albanian sat his wine down and continued rubbing Cal's nape, his other going to hold the Omega's face. He leaned in and kissed him, twice. "I want you to know you have choices. I am not Steve," he explained and then moved to the boy's mating mark, more to soothe than anything else. "We will return together then, in twenty minutes."

“I know you’re not, but I’m not sure the right decision here,” Cal admitted, clasping his hand over Le Chiffre’s thigh. “I like watching you play.”

"What happened to that man, is not your fault, as I said. Your decision to tell me was out of love, and loyalty. Sometimes we have to make choices to protect our own lives, and the lives of the ones we love," Le Chiffre offered placing his hand over Cal's and then smiled, charmingly. "I like knowing you are watching me."

“Then I will watch,” Cal said, knowing he’d just have to put the rest behind him. The man had made his choices, no doubt, knowing what the outcome could be.

"Good," Le Chiffre nodded, knowing that there might be issues later. Cal was strong but he seemed conflicted. "Are you sure you don't want any wine or a snack before we go back?"

“No, I’m fine,” Cal insisted, snuggling back up to his mate, instead.

The Alpha wrapped both of his arms around Cal and tugged them over onto their sides. "Everyone was looking at you tonight and even I found it hard to not stare."

“Am I too much of a distraction?” Cal asked, carefully.

"No," Le Chiffre said, and traced Cal's jaw with his finger tip. He would rather have his mate with him in all honesty.

“I don’t want you to lose because of me,” Cal said, insistently.

"I was losing because of the man with the gun, not because of you," Le Chiffre assured and stroked down to Cal's mating mark. "And that has been handled by now."

The whole thing was still very new to Cal, he just needed time to adapt, of course. “You’ll win.”

The Alpha grinned and leaned in to kiss his mate's lips. He could give Cal time to adjust. "Yes, and with the winnings, we will get you a car, and some land. As promised."

“As long as you’re not leaving me with those things on my own,” Cal said,having never been alone in his life.

"I would never do such a thing," Le Chiffre said, looking at Cal almost incredulously. "You need to understand I do not love and yet I love you. We are mated. I will not ever leave you alone."

Cal had been left by his parents when he was very young, and as such, it was impossible for him not to feel a bit like Le Chiffre might want to do the same eventually. “No?”

"No," Jean insisted, and pulled Cal closer, gazing into his eyes. The usually emotionless Alpha's face was full of sincerity and feeling; he wondered if the Omega knew just how _deep_ his love ran. "I never wanted a mate until you. I helped free you so that I could have you, we could have each other and because I knew I couldn't be without you."

Smiling at that, Cal nuzzled in close, breathing the Alpha in, feeling light and loved all at once at just his scent. “I knew, too. Fate brought us together.”

Le Chiffre nuzzled Cal back, a deep purr reverberating through his chest as he scent marked his mate. He hummed and peppered kisses on his beautiful Omega's face. "It did. I only wish it had done so sooner."

“Fate works a certain way, this was destined for now.” Cal knew he had to learn to accept what Le Chiffre did, it was important they were on the same level.

"Perhaps you’re right. I’ll let you can teach me about fate. It's something I never took stock in before now, only numbers and making money," Le Chiffre explained, not letting his mate go. They could teach each other. "But that has changed, _you_ made me believe."

“I could make you believe a lot of things if you let me,” Cal crooned, not sure that his Alpha would be swayed to believe in the Light, if there was light at all, not after Steve.

"Could you?" Le Chiffre crooned back, though his mind was certainly not on the Light in this moment. He licked a long stripe up the side of the Omega's neck to his ear. They hardly had much time but he wanted Cal smelling of nothing but him when they went back downstairs. "And what else could you make me believe?"

“In everything,” Cal said, eyes dazzling blue as he kissed his Alpha sweetly. “I was always told my father was a salesman and very good at it. He could sell anything.”

"Mm, well, I don't doubt that," Le Chiffre smiled, kissing Cal again and again, mismatched eyes transfixed on the boy. "That's a talent that would come handy in my line of work as well. Maybe we should see how you do in that capacity? I have confidence in you."

“What would I do?” Cal asked, curiously, rolling over his Alpha to straddle his hips.

"Besides work your charms on me?" Le Chiffre flirted and rolled his hips up into the warmth of his Omega's clothed ass as his hands gripped slender hip bones. "Convince potential customers to let me be their banker, for starters. I do not always have a very...personable way about handling things. You could make them believe that they can trust me, especially with that face of yours, darling."

“Banker… how?” the Omega asked, wanting to know more as he pressed his hips down over Jean’s hips, teasingly. “I need to know everything.”

"I move their money across country, when they aren't able to do so on their own...for legal reasons, or often I will invest it for them," the Alpha explained, grunting a little at the way Cal was moving on top of him. He slid his hands around to knead his mate's cheeks with lustful appreciation. "I get a cut of the money, naturally and they get theirs safe and sound on the other side or in the form of a profit from that investment."

“That’s the idea, anyway, right?” Cal asked, aware that most of the money would end up with Le Chiffre, that was the business, anyway. Cal pressed his hands down his mate’s chest. “How much time have we got?”

Le Chiffre laughed, and nodded, very impressed by the boy's understanding. "Yes, that _is_ the idea. Smart, Cal, extremely smart." The Alpha looked at his watch at the question and then up to his Omega with a coy grin. "More than enough. Twelve minutes."

Cal stood and stripped his pants off not to get them dirty and then undid Le Chiffre’s, pulling out his cock, stroking him. “More than enough.”

"I will just have to pull out before-" Le Chiffre started and then groaned when Cal took his aching Alphan cock into his hand. "-Before my knot inflates," he finished and then shimmed out of his pants, pulling his mate onto his lap with a needy growl.

“Let me know; warn me,” Cal insisted, and slipped his ass around his Alpha’s cock, groaning as his slick paved the way for the large erection. “Jean-”

"I will," Le Chiffre promised, breathlessly as he felt the warm wetness surrounding him. He started to buck instantly, and tugged his mate down to meld their lips together for a heated kiss. "Fuck, Cal-"

Cal groaned, heating up within already, whipping his hips down into Le Chiffre’s, speed increasingly. “Won’t last…”

The Alpha was also nearing his release, having been wanting his Omega all night during the game and he showed this by meeting each one of the boy's thrusts in time, growling loudly. "I'm close, too. Come on my cock..."

Bucking and grinding down on the Alpha, Cal came, slathering his Alpha’s cock with his slick, and then working his own cock into a frenzy with one hand, spilling over his stomach. “Jean!” His eyes squeezed shut, panting and groaning.

Le Chiffre groaned, deep and throaty, eyes locked onto Cal's as he watched his mate come hard around his dick. It was so erotic, and it spurred the Alpha on, "Oh goddamn," he panted and once his Omega had finished riding out the waves of his release, moved him up to remove his cock from his ass and come up away from his mate's body. As his knot throbbed and expanded uselessly, seed continuing to spill, he kissed the boy roughly. "Cal!"

Cal watched and when the coming had ended, he bent and licked every last drop off his mate’s stomach and his cock, until he was clean. He hummed, biting his own lip. “I love your taste.”

"And I love yours," Le Chiffre purred, taking his fingers and cleaning Cal's spend from his stomach, sucking them clean. He kissed his Omega once more and then looked at his watch. "Seven minutes, we should get dressed, darling."

“Okay.” Cal got up and cleaned himself in the bathroom before redressing.

Le Chiffre joined him, redressing. He kissed the nape of his neck and smiled. "I love you, you were amazing, as always."

Cal smiled and kissed his mate on the lips and took his hand. “I love you, too.”

The Alpha winked and lead Cal out of the suite, to the elevator. "Be thinking of how you might want to celebrate, hm?"

“You owe me an outing,” Cal said, with a small smirk, already coming out of his she'll since being rescued and mated to someone decidedly better.

Grinning, Le Chiffre leaned over to kiss the alluring smirk on Cal’s lips once and nodded. “That I do. I will decide, then, if you don't.”

“I want to see what you’d do,” Cal insisted, interested in learning more about his mate.

“I’ll show you, tomorrow,” the Albanian said, his voice deep and rumbly. When the elevator doors opened, he hooked his arm around Cal’s waist and lead them out, three minutes to spare. Le Chiffre felt confident, the most powerful Alpha there and with the best Omega-- _his_. “Make yourself comfortable, this should not take too long.”

Cal leaned up and kissed Le Chiffre's cheek, and then went to sit where he had been before, striking in his white suit, shrouded in the shadows.

Le Chiffre took his seat, back at the table and looked to see where Cal was. He straightened his suit, and waited as the cards were dealt, the man who'd been cheating, absent.

The next two rounds were grueling, but in the end, the Alpha won the pot, grinning to show his pride. The funds were automatically wired to his account and he as he stood, he tipped the dealer and banker. It was protocol, a tradition he wasn't fond of but tolerated.

The Albanian walked over to Cal and kissed his lips. "We won, let's get something to eat," he stated, taking his hand to lead him back to the car. "Tomorrow we'll have a proper outing."

“Where will we go now?” Cal was ever curious, wanting to know everything, soaking it in. He held Le Chiffre’s hand tightly.

"It's a surprise," Le Chiffre answered, with a mischievous grin, having planned this part out before now and in anticipation of his victory. He opened the limo door for Cal and once he got in, the Alpha followed. "But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you that it does involve food and will be in a private setting."

“That doesn’t mean much,” Cal pointed out, still getting used to the life of luxury, used to being locked up, beaten, and living on next to nothing.

Jean laughed, quietly, and kissed Cal's hand as they were driven to the private location in the dark of night. "No, I guess it doesn't. However, if I said too much, it wouldn't be a surprise would it?"

“That’s true,” Cal said, gazing out at the street lights as they passed them, a little sad he couldn’t see the stars from here.

The Alpha kept quiet, watching Cal as he stared out the window. _So beautiful_ , Le Chiffre thought and leaned back with one leg crossed over the other.

About twenty minutes later and the driver had parked them far out and away from the bright, obstructive lights of the city, at the _Finger lakes_. Le Chiffre grinned at Cal and got out, walking over to take his hand. "I thought we could have dinner here, under the stars."

The young Omega’s smile grew when they arrived, and his mate’s words only made him giddier. “Really?”

"Certainly," Le Chiffre smiled, and nodded to the driver as he walked with Cal over towards a picnic table that was set up with food, wine and candles. He'd made all the arrangements prior, having paid attention when his mate had spoken of seeing the stars in the countryside. The dish was vegan, for Cal, veggie pasta and chicken chicken alfredo for the Alpha. "You look even more stunning by starlight."

Cal could adapt, but he was used to certain things, of course. He hugged Le Chiffre tightly for it. “Thank you.”

"You're welcome," the Alpha purred, hugging Cal back and kissing his head. He let him go, walking him right up to the table. They were alone, not many people being out this far, this late at night. "Please have a seat."

Taking a seat, Cal looked over the dishes and the wine, and all the effort his Alpha put in to make Cal as comfortable as possible. He had a sip of the wine, tasting it with a puckered face, and then another, growing used to it.

Le Chiffre sat down and also enjoyed a sip of the wine, taking his silverware in hand. He looked at Cal, watching him and licked his lips, happy his mate seemed to approve of the romantic gesture. "I have never been to this location before now. I imagine it is a sight in the sunlight as well."

“I bet it is. Nature is a wonderful thing we all tend to forget exists, because we’re too busy,” Cal explained, and then started to eat his pasta, slowly.

"This is true," the Albanian nodded, and took a bite of his pasta, not as slow but not rudely. When he swallowed, he wiped his mouth and took another pull from his wine. "I admit I don't get out to enjoy it very often."

 

“We should.” Cal ate, now with gusto, seeing his Alpha eat faster. He was still strange about eating around people in general. “Together.”

"I wouldn't want it any other way," Le Chiffre hummed, around his fork as he took another bite. He had noticed Cal's shyness when eating, but was glad his Omega was eating normally now. "And I still need to take you on my Yacht."

“I bet the stars are really nice out at sea,” Cal mused, having never been to sea, but it sounded perfectly peaceful.

"They are," the Alpha agreed, though he'd never given them much notice in all honesty. He'd seen them, of course, but hadn't indulged for long. Now though, he found himself enchanted by the idea, mostly because of his mate. "How is your pasta?"

“It’s wonderful, thank you,” Cal said with another bite, gazing up at the stars, that seemed to light his eyes while he was at it.

"You're welcome," Jean smiled, taking another forkful as he watched Cal. He'd rather look at him than the stars any day, in all honesty. "You look pensive, darling."

“Just thinking. Praying, actually,” Cal said, though he knew Jean didn’t believe in all that, it helped Cal more than he admitted to his mate. “Thankful to be here with you.”

"I did not mean to interrupt your prayer," Le Chiffre said, as close to an apology as he'd possibly ever said to another. He meant it, even if religion wasn't his forte. "I am thankful as well. Very much so."

“It’s okay. It’s about you, anyway,” Cal shrugged his slim shoulders, smiling over at Le Chiffre and finished his pasta, and then worked on drinking his wine.

Le Chiffre finished his pasta, and smiled back, taking his wine in hand. "Was it?" he asked, though he wouldn't pry, not really. It was sweet though, and made his heart beat a bit faster. "If I prayed, you would be at the top of my list."

“Would you pray to be thankful or wishful?” Cal asked, a smile on his lips as he took another sip of wine.

"If I prayed, it would be for you to remain safe and happy. For us to be together, always," Jean answered, honestly, and reached over to squeeze Cal's hand, lovingly. "I have nothing I need to wish for beyond that. I am confident enough to make money on my own and without the help of any God."

“You don’t ever wish someone was watching over you?” Cal queried, his head canted just so as he caressed the back of Le Chiffre’s hand with his thumb.

"I wouldn't like the idea of someone watching or controlling me. I control my life," Le Chiffre said, though not harshly. The Omega's touch was soothing, and entirely appealing. "I'll leave the praying to you."

“Okay,” Cal said, knowing that it could be wonderful if they did it together, and really connected, but he wouldn’t want to force his belief on Le Chiffre either.

Le Chiffre would try, for Cal, if he asked, but the chances of him really giving in and believing were slim to none. He was a man of proof, and until he had some tangible evidence, he would let his mate have faith for him. Still, he was finding himself believing in fate, it had brought them together after all. "I tell you what, tell me more about this Light of yours, as we stroll by the lake."

Cal finished his wine and then stood, taking Le Chiffre’s hand. “Deal.”

The Alpha did the same, and laced their fingers together, walking them over near the lake's edge. The sounds of the water slapping calmly against the rocks was soothing and the crisp air added to the ambience. Jean looked over at Cal and smiled. "So, let's hear your pitch."

At that, Cal got a little shy about it, and ducked his head. “I already know you won’t buy it, but the Light is the truth of the world, of what is coming, what humans do here will only make the world terrible in the future. The Light guides to better understanding and peace, that we may try to make the world a bit more liveable for the foreseeable future, until our time in the garden comes.”

Le Chiffre listened, attentively, transfixed by how passionate Cal sounded, how his lips moved when he spoke. He stopped walking and wrapped his arms around his mate's shoulders. "Never start off a pitch that way, Cal, by telling someone you know they won't buy it," he chuckled, playfully, and stroking the nape of his neck to reassure him he wasn't scolding. "Tell me of this garden. Is it like heaven?"

Cal frowned either way, and sighed. “Yes, it is.”

Since Cal was going to work for him, Le Chiffre merely wanted to lightly offer guidance. "I upset you," he stated, and looked into his eyes. "It was not my intention."

“I don’t have a lot of talent for this, I think,” Cal sighed, and shook his head. “I only said that because you won’t be sold, there’s no changing it.”

"You do," the Alpha said, surprised that Cal would give up on his dream so quickly, but then again look at who he'd been with before him. He rubbed his mate's arms, meeting his gaze with intensity. "I have confidence in you, and will not let you give up."

“Even if I’m bad at it? You don’t even believe, you should be happy I’m terrible,” Cal sighed.

"Stop. Enough," Le Chiffre said, not able to stand another minute of Cal cutting himself down. He took a breath and stared out at the dark lake, only illuminated the moon and stars. "One small error does not imply failure, Calvin, nor do I find joy in that."

Cal ducked his head and got down to his knees at his Alpha’s feet. “Forgive, I’m sorry…”

The Alpha looked down at Cal and calmed instantly. He carded his hand through Cal's hair and then helped him stand. "I do. However, you do not have to ever kneel before me, darling. Not unless it's in an entirely different situation," he smiled, and drew the boy into his arms, nuzzling him. "I simply don't like hearing you talk like that about yourself."

“I… can’t help it,” Cal whispered, nuzzling his face into Le Chiffre’s neck, arms around him tightly. Steve never allowed him this comfort, not once.

"Something else we need to work on then," Jean whispered, and pressed his lips over Cal's scent gland. He wanted to kill Steve all over again. "You can be anything you want to be, Cal."

“What I want to be I can’t be, I can’t even go back to the life there at the compound to make a new start. I’ll never be accepted,” Cal sighed, and held on tighter.

Admittedly, it bothered Le Chiffre that Cal wanted to go back to the compound. It hurt his pride that his mate wasn't happy with him in their new life. He'd saved him from that place and yet his Omega wanted to go back. "You miss your old life, or parts of it?" he asked, but still held onto the young man, trying to soothe him. "Do I not make you happy?"

“I’m very happy. I miss the trees and the lake, the fresh air. I’m grateful for my garden you’ve helped me acquire though,” Cal explained, stepping back to look up at Jean. “I love you, and our life. I’m allowed to miss things… right?”

"Certainly," Le Chiffre said, feeling better that it wasn't that Cal was unhappy. He caressed the Omega's cheek, and smiled. "Then let me suggest we move, a new home in the country with all the space for a garden for you."

“That wouldn’t make you happy though,” Cal pointed out out. “But I appreciate the gesture.”

"Why do you think it wouldn't make me happy?" the Alpha asked, licking his lips contemplatively. "On the contrary, my penthouse will sell for a profit."

“You stuck out there with just plants and me. Are you going to help me farm?” Cal asked, eyes sparkling.

"I'll help when I can," Le Chiffre smiled, watching the way Cal's eyes lit up. "I have plenty to keep me busy, with my business. I can hire farmhands as well. Being alone with you, would never be an inconvenience."

“I can tend the gardens by myself,” Cal said, giving up on that one. “I don’t want hired people.”

"As I said, I'll help when I can," the Alpha insisted, thinking he wasn't getting very far tonight with this whole romantic outing. "And as you wish."

Cal hugged his Alpha tightly, it wasn’t important right now. “Thank you.”

"You're welcome," Le Chiffre sighed, and hugged Cal back, rubbing his hands up and down his mate's back. He pulled him away enough to lean in to kiss him. "We will strike a balance, Cal. It may take time, but we will."

“We are from two very different worlds,” the Omega said, understandingly. He was sheltered, but not dumb.

"Yes," Jean said, having known from the beginning that Cal was anything but dumb. He wanted the boy to know that for himself, to love who he was and what he could be. He cast his gaze upwards to look at the stars a moment. "It is beautiful out here."

“It is. Thank you for bringing me,” Cal said, resting his head against Jean’s heart, listening to it as he watched the stars.

"You're welcome," Le Chiffre purred, quietly, stroking his mate's hair as he held him. At that moment, a shooting star jutted across the sky and the Alpha knew it was some sort of confirmation of their bond. "Wow."

“It’s beautiful,” Cal whispered.


	5. Chapter 5

A farm was bought, out in the countryside where Cal said it would be best, and the weather was fair for most of the year, and when it wasn’t, there was a greenhouse to grow the crops winter crops. It wasn’t much yet, but Cal had trees, and a small little pond. The whole thing felt like peace on earth, a small garden coming together with his own two bare hands.

He was out gardening in the mud after the rain one morning, months in now of the mating, Cal up to his elbows in dirt.

Le Chiffre walked out to join Cal, two glasses of sugar free, fresh squeezed lemonade in hand. "Are you thirsty?" he asked, not minding at all that he was an Alpha and waiting on his Omega. "You don't need to get dehydrated."

“Did you squeeze them yourself?” Cal asked, with a little smirk, wiping his hands on the ground to get the dirt off, not wanting to get his pants and shirt muddy. He reached for one of the glasses.

"I used the juicer, so technically, yes," Jean laughed, feeling much happier out here with Cal. He was surprised how much the country soothed his nerves and his temper. He handed his mate the lemonade and sipped his own. “What are you working on now?”

“I’m planting carrots. Some rabbits got into the first ones,” Cal sighed, “I’ll have to get something to keep them out.” He sipped the lemonade with a hum.

"Carrots are good," Le Chiffre smiled, nodding. He stooped down next to Cal and brushed back his hair from his sweaty brow. "We could get cages, maybe?"

“I don’t want to hurt them,” Cal said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

The Alpha thought that they could make a nice dinner but he didn't say that. "Then we won't," he promised, nostrils flared as he took in Cal's pungent scent. "We'll release them someplace far from here."

“Okay.” Cal finished his drink and set the glass down, wanting to hug Jean, but he was dressed so nicely and Cal had very dirty hands.

Le Chiffre sat his glass down on the table near by and pulled off his shirt, almost as if he was reading his mate's mind. "Come to me," he crooned, extending his arms. "I am not worried about a bit of dirt."

Instinct between Alphas and Omegas who were bonded and soulmates was strong, just as theirs was now. Cal got to his knees and then his feet and padded over bare foot to his mate, and wrapped his arms around him.

The Alpha embraced Cal tightly, and nuzzled into his glistening neck. He could all but taste him from just the aroma alone. “I would get dirty anytime, day or night, to feel you like this.”

“Sweaty?” Cal chuckled, and nuzzled into Jean’s neck, scenting him. “You still owe me that outing.” They’d gotten caught up in all the moving, that they’d lost track of when.

“Mhm. Raw and flooding my senses, perfect,” Le Chiffre grinned and scented his mate back. “Yes, I do and a trip to Paris.” The way Cal nuzzled into him was something that the Alpha could never get enough of and he knew then that his mate made him weak in a way that no one had ever before or ever would.

“Paris? Really?” Cal’s eyes lit up and his smile widened, happier than he’d ever been, and no one would guess he was same young man from the streets peddling religion.

“Certainly,” Jean grinned and cupped his mate’s jaw. He loved seeing Cal happy, fed off of it. Usually, the Alpha enjoyed seeing people suffer, but not his boy. “We can leave whenever you'd like, in fact.”

“Who will water my garden and keeps the pests out?” Cal asked, batting blue eyes up at Le Chiffre, learning early on he’d get almost anything he wanted that way.

"For that, you'll have to let me hire someone," the Alpha rumbled, and then kissed under Cal's jaw, his cheeks and his lips. He was under his mate's spell, and found that he didn't care.

“Okay, this once,” Cal agreed, eyes closed as his mate peppered attention all over him, making the Omega melt under his ministrations.

"Mm, yes sir," Le Chiffre crooned, flirtatiously. He trailed his hands down his Omega's back, and squeezed his ass, pulling him closer. "Are you hungry? Or do you have more work to do out here?"

“Yes. I could eat while we figure out who you will be hiring,” Cal answered, biting Le Chiffre’s lower lip.

"Good idea," the Alpha said, and bit Cal's top lip, slotting their mouths together as he held the back of his head and walked them towards the house.

“Could just eat each other,” Cal whispered, groaning.

"Even better," Le Chiffre murmured, as he gently pulled Cal inside, and worked off his clothing, piece by piece. "I'll eat you first..."

There wasn’t much to take off Le Chiffre, but Cal got his pants off as they kissed, groaning into each movement fluidly. He hadn’t had his first heat with Le Chiffre yet, but he already knew they’d be insatiable together.

Once they were both nude, the Alpha picked Cal up, into his arms and took him to bed. He laid him on the mattress and without a word, took his mate’s smaller cock into his mouth to the hilt. Cal groaned with that, hands in his Alpha’s hair, clenching tightly as he gasped and growled with pleasure.

“Jean-”

Le Chiffre's nostrils flared to take in breath and when he did, he scented to sweet slick gathering between the boy's cheeks. It made him groan, the sound vibrating through Cal's shaft as he inserted two thick fingers into his Omega's wet hole.

Cal’s hips arched, pushing his cock further into Le Chiffre’s mouth, his thighs spread copiously, heels planted into the bed, pressed down hard as he rutted. “Oh-”

The Alpha bobbed his head up and down, keeping his mismatched eyes on his mate as he did just as he'd said he would-- devour. His fingers curved and tapped against Cal's prostate with relentless abandon. He wanted his Omega to come hard, and more than once. "Mm."

Cal writhed and started to come, like the Alpha’s wishes were coming true. His body heated and spilled inside of his mouth, and around his fingers. “Alpha!”

Le Chiffre swallowed every last drop, and then some, cleaning him thoroughly. He pulled off and crawled over Cal's body to kiss his taste into his mouth with a groan. "So beautiful, my darling Omega."

Cal wrapped his arms around the Alpha, kissing the very taste of himself off his tongue, when suddenly everything was cold, and Le Chiffre thrown against the wall, hard enough to hear bones crack. Cal scampered on instinct, trying to get to his Alpha but another large hand grabbed him by his short curls and yanked him back.

“You are coming with me,” the other Alpha said, a man who reeked of pine and Patchouli, taking Cal back to an exact moment in time, during a session Steve had with an old friend of his that Cal had sat in on without being seen.

“No!” the Omega screamed and kicked, and thrashed but another hand clamped around his mouth and nose, cutting off his air ways. His vision blurred and Cal blacked out, a heap over the larger man’s shoulder.

***

Coming to, Cal groggily looked around the cabin he was in, dressed once more, though haphazardly, and tied to a chair. In front of him was a large, older man, glaring at him, as if trying to see into his soul.

“You did something to Steve, and I’m going to find out.”

“Kodiak, I don’t know where he is-”

“SHUT UP! I know you know. You have always had that look in your eyes, like you’d give anything to be done with him,” Kodiak snarled. “Probably got that new Alpha of yours to do it. I know how to get the truth out of you.” Kodiak stood, walking closer with a syringe.

“Please no, don’t do that. I hate it, please, please, Kodiak…” Cal started to beg, tears rolling down his plump cheeks, but to no avail.

Kodiak stabbed the needle into the boy’s arm and pressed the plunger down.

Cal’s world started to slip and slide, colors bloom and melt together as his eyes rolled back in his head, Kodiak watching him carefully as the Omega started to drool a little.

“There, there, Calvin. We’re going to find out a few things…”

***

Cal rolled to his side, pushing himself to his feet, the warmth of the sun beating down on his bare back as he stood, tanned shoulders glistening with morning sweat. Pungent wafts of wild flower and roses circulated his senses as he turned to see the gates open before him, into a beautiful garden, the overgrowth of what he had on his own land with Jean, but larger, with tables and picnic benches, small houses scattered about.

“All this is yours, everything you’ve dreamed of, everything you’ve wanted, and have been chosen to do, Calvin,” a voice said, quietly from behind him. “You were decided upon many years ago, and as a test of your true faith, we put you through some endurance challenges, mentally and physically.”

Cal turned, but no one was there. “What do you mean?”

“Your path is to lead the people to the Light, to your garden. Your destiny was set the day your parents lost their jobs in New York, when the world crashed down around everyone, and mourning began, we saw the light in your, Calvin, a little boy with so much potential.”

***

Le Chiffre came to, having been knocked unconscious, some hours later. As he scrambled to his feet, it all came back to him and he was still naked, and bloody.

The Alpha ran through each room of the house, trying to catch his Omega's scent but all that remained was what had been there from before. He screamed, and threw on his clothing, stopping only to do that and take a puff of his inhaler. Someone had taken his mate, and he already felt the stab of emptiness, the nausea.

Jean called the head of his security, his best men, and told them to start looking now and meet him at the compound. They would start there. One thing was for certain, someone was going to die.

Security at the gates of the compound stopped them, not letting them through without proper identification since Steve was taken and murdered, they weren’t taking any chances.

When they were denied access, they had no choice but to leave. They weren't properly prepared to take down a whole compound.

The Alpha felt like he was losing his mind, and he closed his eyes on the ride back to his house, where he was doing to regroup and try to figure out what to do.

Suddenly, Le Chiffre felt transported, like he was in his body but not. He realized he was in the garden, and could see Cal in the distance. To the left of that, he saw an old cabin, one he knew and had seen in passing before when they'd went to the finger lakes. "Cal?" he called out through the haze, running to get to him.

The boy turned, blinking at Le Chiffre, running up to meet him. Cal was shrouded in white and light, looking ethereal. “Jean! How did you get here?”

"Cal! I...I'm not even sure where here is," Jean said, and then smiled. Cal looked more beautiful than he'd ever before. The Alpha wasn't sure what was going on, but he was with his mate, and that was all that mattered. "Are we sharing a dream? Are you okay?"

“It’s a vision…” Cal said, clutching Le Chiffre’s arms, holding him as he leaned up, smiling brightly, blue eyes so vivid and crystal clear.

"From the Light?" Jean asked, having listened to Cal each time he spoke of the Light, even if he didn't believe. Could there be something to all of this? All he knew was that Cal was enchanting. He smiled at his mate, and held him close. "You're beautiful, this place is beautiful. What does this all mean? I need to come find you."

“I don’t know where I am…” Cal said, honestly, “but somewhere, around here.”

"I think I can find you," Le Chiffre said, looking around at their surroundings again. He turned to face Cal and held his radiant face. "I _will_ come find you."

“Okay…” Cal said, quietly, and just like that, the vision ended, Cal fading out.

The Alpha came to, reaching his hands out in front of him and taking in ragged breaths. His men looking at him like he was nuts. "A dream," he said, calming himself and showing no more emotion. "I know where we need to go."

Le Chiffre told his men where to head, and as they did, he thought back to the vision. It was something he would talk to Cal about later and honestly, it had shaken the very foundation of his logical way of thinking. Right now though, he just needed to get to his mate.

Some time later and the Alpha and his men pulled up at the cabin, and it was just as it had been in the vision. They all piled out, stealthily, four total including Le Chiffre. On the signal the men burst through the door and quickly lunged at the Cal’s captor, while the Albanian rushed over to Cal. He leaned over his mate and gently placed his arm under his head, stroking his face with the other.

“Calvin, wake up. I’m here. Come back to me...”

“He's out of it, overdosed,” the other Alpha said, now restrained, pinned down.

Cal was limp and pale, clammy. The captor just laughed at his futile attempts to rouse the Omega.

“If he dies, your death will be slow and excruciating,” Le Chiffre growled, cutting the other Alpha a stare of death and then looked back at Cal. He hoisted his mate into his arms, bracing him on his knee as a blood tear started to gather in his left eye. When he spoke it was firm but loving, and near his ear, so no one else could hear. “Cal, fate brought us together, don't you dare leave me,” he begged, continuing to hold his Omega with one arm as he patted his face with his hand.

“I love you, do _not_ leave me. Not when you have started to make me believe…not ever.”

The boy shuddered once, pink filling his features once more, sweaty hair stuck to his head. His eyes fluttered open as Cal took a gasp of breath. “Jean?”

A drop of blood from the Alpha's eye, fell onto Cal's skin as he took a breath of his own. One of relief. "Cal...I'm here," he whispered, and leaned in to kiss his mate's cheeks. He was overjoyed that his Omega had come to and had just been ready to start trying CPR, even with his Asthma. It didn’t bothered him that Calvin had used his real name in front of his men, he hadn’t even realized it anyways. "I will get to you to a hospital, my love."

“No, no I'm okay,” Cal whispered softly, still coming around. He curled into Le Chiffre’s chest, snuggling him. “I saw you in my vision.”

"And I saw you," Le Chiffre whispered back, both arms going around Cal. He knew his men would wait as long as needed, but it was certain that the other Alpha would pay. "You looked like how I imagine an angel might...you showed me how to get to you or the Light did."

“Then you believe?” Cal asked, light coming to his eyes once more, tugging on Le Chiffre’s shirt with his fist gently.

“I'm starting to, yes,” Le Chiffre answered, sincerely as he pressed their profiles together and gazed into his mate’s eyes. “Because of _you_.”

“You can’t deny the vision you saw,” Cal whispered, shivering now as he curled up against the Alpha for warmth, his body had been all but dead.

"No, I do not deny that, and it was more than sufficient proof," Jean agreed, and then removed his suit jacket. He placed it around Cal's shoulders and held him close before turning back to his men. "Tie him up and put him in the trunk. I'll deal with him later."

The Alpha looked back at his mate to see if there was any disapproval. He would try change, but this other Alpha had almost killed his Omega and that could not be forgiven.

Cal let them, he didn’t mind, and was too tired to argue. Kodiak was trying to avenge Steve, after all, and that in itself was undeniably worth punishment.

“Bury him with Steve.”

"An excellent idea," Le Chiffre smiled, and nodded to his men, who started tying Kodiak up right away. "Bury him, as my Calvin said, and alive. Let him think about what he has done while he spends his last minutes on earth, in the ground, next to Steve's corpse."

He turned his face back to Cal, and kissed his lips softly, thinking that the punishment chosen was the most fitting. "Let's get you home, darling."

“Yes,” Cal whispered, still very loose limbed, only able to really moved his hands and fingers yet.

Le Chiffre easily lifted Cal into his arms, keeping him against the warmth of his chest and walked out of the cabin. He got into the back of the car with his Omega. "You're certain you're alright? I can have a doctor come over, and make sure..."

“I’m fine. I just want to go home,” Cal insisted, once buckled into the car, he leaned up against Jean.

"We'll get you there and soon," Le Chiffre promised, and hooked his arm around Cal, wanting to soothe his mate. The men piled into the car and took off with Kodiak in the trunk. They would bury him after taking Cal and Jean home. “I am thankful to have you back. I was worried. Perhaps once you feel better, you can tell me more of what you saw in the vision.”

“I’ll tell you anything you like,” Cal said, knowingly, loving the look in Jean’s eyes, the look of belief on the tip of his tongue.

It was a big change for Le Chiffre. He'd expected to mold Cal, steer him away from the movement if that is what his Omega had wanted, only to find he was being lead there himself. Maybe this is why they were brought together. It would be a difficult transition but the vision had spoken volumes. He needed to know everything. The Alpha smiled back at his mate, and traced his jaw, wetting his lips before speaking in a whisper. "You are the chosen one, aren't you? Everything you've told me about is _real_...the garden, the light? I never imagined it could be...but I saw you there."

“It’s all real, the Garden I’m growing is the Garden we’ll all end up in together,” Cal whispered, smiling sweetly up at Le Chiffre. “The Light told me you were the one to set it all in motion years ago, the reason my parents lost their jobs in New York, the reason I was pawned off on Steve… the reason you found me again.”

The Alpha stared, a bit in shock, but not unpleasantly so. He smiled back at Cal, and nuzzled him as he thought back to New York, and everything that had lead up to this moment. "I believe. I am not sure what that means in respects to what I need to do just yet, however. But as you know," he said, quietly, gesturing subtly to his men, "I have a less than pure lifestyle. What happened in New York, with the Towers...I played a major role there, but I am willing to make changes, darling. For you, for both of our lives and for the good of the Movement."

The words were foreign to Le Chiffre, but he'd seen it, _felt_ it. The feeling had been more gratifying than anything he'd experienced in waking life.

“It all happens for a reason. You transgressed, you can be forgiven.” Cal crawled into Le Chiffre’s lap, gazing at him, limbs working a little better now.

Jean wrapped his arm around Cal's waist, as his other hand pushed a button to lift the tinted privacy divider. He then put that one around his mate as well and kissed his mating mark. "It would appear it does. How is one forgiven?" he asked, genuinely curious. He expected he might be needing a lot of that. Le Chiffre then offered a charming smile, his hands rubbing his Omega's back to help with blood flow. "I promise you, I will do my very best to be devout, but expect some errors."

“You unburden and you are forgiven to start anew,” Cal explained, arms around Le Chiffre’s shoulders, squeezing him as tightly as he could manage.

"That sounds easy," Le Chiffre chuckled and pressed their foreheads together as the car rolled down the countryside. "And would I need to give up meat?"

“I think we can make an exception,” Cal whispered, breathing in deeply with his mate.

"Good," the Alpha grinned, subtly, and took in Cal's scent, placing soft kisses on his lips. They were going to have a new life, and he found he was totally open to what it might bring. Steve had been at least partly right afterall.

“So long as you’re willing to make some to be in the Light with me,” Cal offered with a smile against Jean’s lips.

"Help you recruit?" Jean asked, and brushed the drying hair from Cal's face off his brow, gently nipping at his mate's lips. "Of course. I am not the best with kindness to people who aren't you, but I will try. I'm sure the Light will help me with this, and so will you."

“You’ll find your place in it, whether helping me or helping me run it,” Cal insisted, still young and unsure how to run the movement the way Steve had, he’d need someone like Le Chiffre with a business mind.

"As you know, my area of expertise is business, and money," Le Chiffre said, as though he was reading his mind on that detail. He pulled back enough to look into those beautiful blue eyes and licked his lips, contemplatively. "I would serve better in that regard and would be happy to. As I've said, you have the face and heart to be the salesman."

“I want any help you’ll give me,” Cal said, kissing Le Chiffre once, and then twice.

"I'll be your biggest support," Le Chiffre promised, grinning at the affection. He loved it. The car pulled into their driveway, and the drivers waited, silently, and in no hurry. "Will we make a compound of our own or take over the one you grew up in? I'm sure that will take some convincing."

“Our own. We’ll move everything. I… can’t go back there,” Cal whispered, suddenly aware of his nerves surrounding his childhood homestead.

"I think that would be for the best," Jean said back, and then pulled Cal to his chest, gently, rubbing his hands down his back to offer comfort. "We will spare no expense and make it as great of a compound as you would like."

“I just want everyone to be welcomed, even those who don’t believe if they have family there,” Cal explained, gently. “My parents weren’t allowed back, ever.”

"Out with the old rules," The Alpha agreed, with an understanding nod, he slipped his hand between them to undo his seatbelt. "You're the leader, Cal, you lead me to you, and I trust your judgement. If the Light says so, then we'll make it happen."

“All on board?” Cal asked, grinning from ear to ear, a new sort of confidence about him, despite having been kidnapped and drugged, likely not for this outcome either.

"Yes," The Albanian grinned back, practically rendered breathless at how stunning Cal looked like this. He seemed to emit a different feel, one similar to what Le Chiffre had seen in their shared vision. "The Light has evidently selected me to be useful as well. Just as it chose you to lead."

“You've been important for a very long time,” Cal insisted, despite what Le Chiffre had done and what it resulted in, everything came full circle.

Le Chiffre smiled at that, and kissed Cal once more. A whole new world was opening up, one he never thought he'd find himself in, in many ways, but as long as he had his mate it would be just fine. "Fate, as you've said, yes."

“Everything is about to change, for the better.”

**Author's Note:**

> A special thinks to @NightmareAntlers/Murderhusbands_ for coming up with #PathRoyale, you can read her first fic written on this here: [ Nobody Needs to Know](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9564497/chapters/21626768)


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